Westbrook to Uconn [merged thread]

[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.

 

[Geesworld]

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.

This could be UCONN most suspect perimeter shooting team. I think UConn will see more zone than they have seen in the past which will stagnated the beauty we're accustomed to.

 

[oldude]

This could be UCONN most suspect perimeter shooting team. I think UConn will see more zone than they have seen in the past which will stagnated the beauty we're accustomed to.

Really? Crystal, Megan & Chrstyn will all be back and presumably be better. Liv is not a perimeter shooter, but Pheesa, the player she will replace in the lineup did not have a particularly good year shooting the 3. Assuming that Evina replaces Lou in the starting lineup, as one poster pointed out her 3 pt shooting percentage was just slightly below Lou's this past year, and in UConn's offense Evina is going to get a whole lot more open looks than at TN. Finally, Ania, Evelyn and Aubrey can all shoot the 3 giving UConn more shooters in their regular rotation than I can ever remember.

Any team that plays zone against UConn is just praying that UConn has a cold shooting night, because there is no way they can cover all the shooters that UConn will put on the floor at any one time.

 

[JoePgh]

Ania may become the designated zone buster. Apparently 3-point shooting is a big part of her game.

UConn saw more zone than man-to-man last year, despite Lou being in the lineup. Few teams think that they can match up athletically, and that will continue to be the case in the upcoming season. The team's zone offense got pretty good at penetrating against the zone rather than relying entirely on perimeter shooting. I would expect that will also be the case in the new season.

 

[Gus Mahler]

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.

Sign me up for that too, please.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Really? Crystal, Megan & Chrstyn will all be back and presumably be better. Liv is not a perimeter shooter, but Pheesa, the player she will replace in the lineup did not have a particularly good year shooting the 3. Assuming that Evina replaces Lou in the starting lineup, as one poster pointed out her 3 pt shooting percentage was just slightly below Lou's this past year, and in UConn's offense Evina is going to get a whole lot more open looks than at TN. Finally, Ania, Evelyn and Aubrey can all shoot the 3 giving UConn more shooters in their regular rotation than I can ever remember.

Any team that plays zone against UConn is just praying that UConn has a cold shooting night, because there is no way they can cover all the shooters that UConn will put on the floor at any one time.

I agree with you wholly. I would add that a front court player able to bang down the 15-footer, as with BC and Liv, and hopefully EB, can also make you pay for playing zone.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Really? Crystal, Megan & Chrstyn will all be back and presumably be better. Liv is not a perimeter shooter, but Pheesa, the player she will replace in the lineup did not have a particularly good year shooting the 3. Assuming that Evina replaces Lou in the starting lineup, as one poster pointed out her 3 pt shooting percentage was just slightly below Lou's this past year, and in UConn's offense Evina is going to get a whole lot more open looks than at TN. Finally, Ania, Evelyn and Aubrey can all shoot the 3 giving UConn more shooters in their regular rotation than I can ever remember.

Any team that plays zone against UConn is just praying that UConn has a cold shooting night, because there is no way they can cover all the shooters that UConn will put on the floor at any one time.

I believe that Megan, Christyn, Crystal, Evina, and Evelyn all shot at least 35% from the arc last season. That's not too shabby.

 

[Jingo]

I believe that Megan, Christyn, Crystal, Evina, and Evelyn all shot at least 35% from the arc last season. That's not too shabby.

 

[Jingo]

In terms of point production, shooting 33% of 3-pointers is the same as shooting 50% on two-pointers, eh?

 

[HuskyNan]

I believe that Megan, Christyn, Crystal, Evina, and Evelyn all shot at least 35% from the arc last season. That's not too shabby.

Meg was about 40%

 

[CL82]

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.

Most of this bitterness was due to her uncle being a big UConn fan, which she really resented. The rest of her family were all Tennessee fans. Eventually they just referred to him as UConn. The name stuck:

The guy was so ostracized that he moved to the Arctic and took up prospecting. Eventually he started giving tours on the side: