Westbrook to Uconn [merged thread]

[MilfordHusky]

Kellie could be an outstanding coach--if she had Chamique, Tamika, and Semeka on her roster.

 

[Ron and Vida]

Naw, we'll just have a couple of Havliceks. I suspect the virtues of having a regular starting 5 outweigh the swiss army knife approach, but I only coached 4th grade girls soccer and I stunk at that.

I also coached young girls soccer
It was bittersweet
The girls unlike boys I coached for the most part followed my directives.
Sweet
But we still lost.
So I had to face it was because the coaching stunk
Bitter!

 

[Ron and Vida]

I’ve done a little research and there are several potential problems with a school opposing a waiver request:

• A player’s previous school does have to document their objections to the NCAA. Many schools don’t want the hassle.
• Transferring player’s families have both threatened and initiated lawsuits which have, more often than not, caused schools to back down from opposing a waiver request.
• Schools just don’t want the bad PR. It can negatively impact everything from future recruiting to fundraising.

So TN can oppose UConn’s waiver request for Evina if they choose to. But do they really want to go to war with both Geno and Eva Westbrook?

Either way we’re buying tickets early for the TN game!

 

[Ron and Vida]

Geno has won 11 NCs while drinking fermented grapes instead of just mashing sour ones.

Steel Magnolia?

 

[HuskyNan]

Evina's defection is bringing out some endearing qualities:

Someone should ask the Captain of the Tin Foil Hat Brigade if there’s an NCAA rule familiarly called the Geno Auriemma Rule because of questionable recruiting practices. No? Which 1000+ win coach could that be?

 

[CL82]

Someone should ask the Captain of the Tin Foil Hat Brigade if there’s an NCAA rule familiarly called the Geno Auriemma Rule because a certain coach used questionable recruiting practices. No? Which 1000+ win coach could that be?

Meh. Maria is Maria. Her act is old and tired at this point.

 

[HuskyNan]

Meh. Maria is Maria. Her act is old and tired at this point.

And that poop has a pretty bright shine after all these years

 

[JordyG]

Kia Wright was homesick, Kennitra Johnson disliked the fishbowl UConn lives in, and some were, um, encouraged to explore other opportunities. There are others reasons too

And of course AEH did not leave because of the lack of perceived future PT.

 

[Ron and Vida]

Either way we’re buying tickets early for the TN game!

That being said I don’t even want to think about what a circus the inimitable ESPN is going to make out of this......

 

[JordyG]

True, it’s not a mathematical equation. In a practical sense, having all those guards means that if someone is having a bad night (it happens, even if it causes temporary insanity for a handful of Boneyarders in the chat room), Geno can give another player more minutes. It’s going to be a “who’s giving us what we need tonight?” situation that determines playing time on any given night

Also, as usual, how practice goes and whether Geno feels he can trust certain players in game situations. Geno may feel this is a better pressing team than he's had in recent years and that too may alter how his lineups shake out.

 

[baggerbob]

That being said I don’t even want to think about what a circus the inimitable ESPN is going to make out of this.

The NCAA better think about the money, they don't want to get on the bad side of the mouse.

 

[MSGRET]

That being said I don’t even want to think about what a circus the inimitable ESPN is going to make out of this.

Maybe they can have Lobo and Lawson make a friendly wager that the loser has to sing the other team's fight song at the winners home court. If UConn wins Lawson can go out to mid court and sing it with ESPN covering it. IF LV wins, then Lobo sings it the following year in TN.

 

[JoePgh]

And of course AEH did not leave because of the lack of perceived future PT.

Not to mention Samarie Walker, whose reasons for leaving could not be related to playing time. She was getting plenty of it, including defending Brittney Griner until she (Samarie) fouled out, and being praised by Geno for her performance in that capacity. Also, there was AEH, who was getting more minutes than any of her freshman classmates except Megan when she left.

 

[JordyG]

Maybe they can have Lobo and Lawson make a friendly wager that the loser has to sing the other team's fight song at the winners home court. If UConn wins Lawson can go out to mid court and sing it with ESPN covering it. IF LV wins, then Lobo sings it the following year in TN.

I think I'd rather see UConn lose than hear either of those tin ears sing a vowel. Imagine after the torture of losing having to listen to that screeching.

 

[oldude]

Not to mention Samarie Walker, whose reasons for leaving could not be related to playing time. She was getting plenty of it, including defending Brittney Griner until she (Samarie) fouled out, and being praised by Geno for her performance in that capacity. Also, there was AEH, who was getting more minutes than any of her freshman classmates except Megan when she left.

Samarie maybe, but AEH’s PT was shrinking when she came off a bad few minutes vs Depaul and Geno sat her down after she committed several turnovers. The next thing we knew was that she was at home, supposedly deciding whether she wanted to return to the team or not. While PT may not have been the primary issue with AEH, it was certainly an issue.

 

[soxfan23]

Not to mention Samarie Walker, whose reasons for leaving could not be related to playing time. She was getting plenty of it, including defending Brittney Griner until she (Samarie) fouled out, and being praised by Geno for her performance in that capacity. Also, there was AEH, who was getting more minutes than any of her freshman classmates except Megan when she left.

Walker was the only transfer I can remember that decided to transfer while getting decent playing time. AEH was basically asked to leave the team by Geno(according to the since deleted video of Geno talking to boosters) after she continually failed to meet his expectations.

 

[UCBaller2012]

Someone should ask the Captain of the Tin Foil Hat Brigade if there’s an NCAA rule familiarly called the Geno Auriemma Rule because of questionable recruiting practices. No? Which 1000+ win coach could that be?

It is usually the ones who preach the “holier than thou” attitude that are the most culpable ones

 

[donalddoowop]

Everyone anointing Evina as the 5th starter is underestimating the amount of work it will take for her to learn a new system — particularly one that actually runs offense. No more dribble, dribble, dribble, chuck it up and go for the rebound. She is going to have to learn how to move without the ball, to expect passes at any time, and to know what good shot selection means in a team context.

I agree and some of those things you mentioned I believe Makurat already knows how to do. I believe Makurat may have as good a chance as Westbrook has at starting. Whichever one learns the system first, I believe, will play the most.

 

[BobbyJ]

I agree and some of those things you mentioned I believe Makurat already knows how to do. I believe Makurat may have as good a chance as Westbrook has at starting. Whichever one learns the system first, I believe, will play the most.

Makurat is going to surprise a lot of people I believe. If she plays defense to Auriemma's level, she's going to play a lot.

 

[oldude]

I agree and some of those things you mentioned I believe Makurat already knows how to do. I believe Makurat may have as good a chance as Westbrook has at starting. Whichever one learns the system first, I believe, will play the most.

Ania’s offense is impressive, but all indications are that Evina’s defense is much better at this point. I think Evina gets the nod as the starter, but I am really thrilled that UConn looks like they will have a legitimate 7 player rotation, and maybe 8 if Aubrey can figure things out sooner rather than later.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Walker was the only transfer I can remember that decided to transfer while getting decent playing time. AEH was basically asked to leave the team by Geno(according to the since deleted video of Geno talking to boosters) after she continually failed to meet his expectations.

Failed to follow team rules.

 

[DEpup]

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.

 

[donalddoowop]

Ania’s offense is impressive, but all indications are that Evina’s defense is much better at this point. I think Evina gets the nod as the starter, but I am really thrilled that UConn looks like they will have a legitimate 7 player rotation, and maybe 8 if Aubrey can figure things out sooner rather than later.

If Makurat's defense is not as good as Westbrook's, then she won't play much at all. Westbrook's defense is almost non existent. That is one of her biggest weaknesses.

 

[oldude]

If Makurat's defense is not as good as Westbrook's, then she won't play much at all. Westbrook's defense is almost non existent. That is one of her biggest weaknesses.

That’s a bit harsh. TN was not a particularly good defensive team, much of which I attribute to HW. For the record, Evina lead the LV’s in steals and, for the most part, played reasonably good defense in the handful of games I watched.

As for Ania, I am only relating comments made by a number of U.S. pros who play in Europe, who have indicated that her defense needs some work.

 

[Argonaut]

That’s a bit harsh. TN was not a particularly good defensive team, much of which I attribute to HW. For the record, Evina lead the LV’s in steals and, for the most part, played reasonably good defense in the handful of games I watched.

As for Ania, I am only relating comments made by a number of U.S. pros who play in Europe, who have indicated that her defense needs some work.

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.

 

[donalddoowop]

I'll believe it when i see it. Steals are one thing, keeping your player in front of you or stopping them from getting to where they want to go is another.

 

[UConnNick]

Someone should ask the Captain of the Tin Foil Hat Brigade if there’s an NCAA rule familiarly called the Geno Auriemma Rule because of questionable recruiting practices. No? Which 1000+ win coach could that be?

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.

 

[oldude]

I'll believe it when i see it. Steals are one thing, keeping your player in front of you or stopping them from getting to where they want to go is another.

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.

 

[donalddoowop]

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.

I agree. She will improve, I believe, greatly while at UConn. However, she is not there yet. Anyone can play one bad defensive game as Jefferson did. I watched many UT games and saw Westbrook and Davis play at defense. With Westbrook's desire to improve and her work ethic, I see her becoming the kind of defensive player who meets UConn standards. I believe before she leaves she will be a star, maybe even an AA kind of star.

 

[UcMiami]

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.