What’s up with AEH?

[oldude]

Last night I checked some of the other WBB box scores including UGA & MSST. In the Bulldogs victory over the Bulldogs, I was surprised to see that AEH only played 2 mop up minutes and had only 0’s next to her name. 8 other players had more minutes than AEH. I then looked at MSST’s prior three games, and sure enough, AEH was 9th or 10th off the bench in minutes played, scoring 0, 3 & 2 pts respectively, with very little else to show.

Last season Bulldog fans were excited to have AEH, who played big minutes as a designated sniper, particularly when Chloe Bibby was injured. It now appears that she has all but disappeared from MSST’s rotation.

So I have a question for our MSST friends. What’s going on with AEH’s PT in Starkville?

 

[MSUFan2003]

Here's what I think. She could have started at the 2 if Danberry hadn't come back. AEH was playing more until it appears that Matharu beat her out as the backup 2. Originally, Vic was trying to play Matharu as the backup PG, but now he's moved Matharu to the backup 2.

AEH can't play the 3 because, without McCowan and Howard, Vic needs that position to rebound. That's why Bibby and Wiggins have been getting those minutes. Bibby is averaging 8-9 rebounds a game, so he has to keep her on the floor.

This is just my 2 cents. I could be wrong, but this is what I'm seeing. AEH is not in Vic's doghouse though. Someone asked him about her in a press conference, and he said that the complexion of the team has changed from last year.

 

[oldude]

Here's what I think. She could have started at the 2 if Danberry hadn't come back. AEH was playing more until it appears that Matharu beat her out as the backup 2. Originally, Vic was trying to play Matharu as the backup PG, but now he's moved Matharu to the backup 2.

AEH can't play the 3 because, without McCowan and Howard, Vic needs that position to rebound. That's why Bibby and Wiggins have been getting those minutes. Bibby is averaging 8-9 rebounds a game, so he has to keep her on the floor.

This is just my 2 cents. I could be wrong, but this is what I'm seeing. AEH is not in Vic's doghouse though. Someone asked him about her in a press conference, and he said that the complexion of the team has changed from last year.

I appreciate the feedback. Short of another injury to a key player, it sounds like it’s going to be difficult for AEH to crack the Bulldog rotation.

 

[pvdoggy]

This is just my 2 cents. I could be wrong, but this is what I'm seeing. AEH is not in Vic's doghouse though. Someone asked him about her in a press conference, and he said that the complexion of the team has changed from last year.

In a way, she is because she is not doing enough to be able to get back on the court.

 

[oldude]

When things didn’t work out at UConn, AEH made one trip down to Starkville and announced her decision to transfer. Some of us wondered if she might have done better to consider all her options, understanding that Vic and Geno have a similar coaching philosophy. AEH appears to be in a difficult situation. She is looking at the rest of this season and all of next season in Starkville without a very good opportunity to earn PT. Obviously, she could transfer again, but under the NCAA’s new transfer policies, AEH would almost certainly have to sit out next season.

 

[SimpleDawg]

I love the Boneyard .

Good to know there's another site besides the Mississippi State board that has threads asking "Where the hell is AEH?"

We get one thread on that every game.

 

[DeeHusky]

She sure could be a help if she hadn’t transferred as well as Gordon and Coombs. It might not be that much of a difference but experience was needed in games like last night.

 

[oldude]

She sure could be a help if she hadn’t transferred as well as Gordon and Coombs. It might not be that much of a difference but experience was needed in games like last night.

I don’t know how much help any of the 3 would have been last night. All have weaknesses in their games that Oregon would have exploited. Now someone like Evina certainly could have made a difference last night.

 

[eebmg]

She sure could be a help if she hadn’t transferred as well as Gordon and Coombs. It might not be that much of a difference but experience was needed in games like last night.

That is a take I did not see coming.

 

[DeeHusky]

I don’t know how much help any of the 3 would have been last night. All have weaknesses in their games that Oregon would have exploited. Now someone like Evina certainly could have made a difference last night.

I agree she penetrated a lot when she was a Tenn, that is missing with this team. We don’t penetrate or play in the lane as much as I would like. As for the transfers, we don’t know how they would’ve panned out if they had stayed, but we do know they would have gotten playing time now. Not to sound mean, but I’d prefer one of them over Irwin. Hit or miss with this one.

 

[Jmsdawg]

My take on AEH - According to everything I have heard she is an excellent team player. She has improved defensively but where she really excelled was shooting. This year her shooting is really off, still has the smooth stroke but ZERO CONFIDENCE. Unless she can overcome the lack of confidence she will not get much playing time.

 

[Husky pride]

My take on AEH - According to everything I have heard she is an excellent team player. She has improved defensively but where she really excelled was shooting. This year her shooting is really off, still has the smooth stroke but ZERO CONFIDENCE. Unless she can overcome the lack of confidence she will not get much playing time.

Sure hope she regains her touch. I always liked her and was disappointed it didn’t work-out at Uconn. I’d hate to see her now have a problem at Mississippi State. Hopefully, she’ll hang in there and turn it around.

 

[SECbbfan24]

She isn’t playing because she isn’t making shots when they present themselves to her. She gets beat off the dribble consistently. She isn’t really a rebounder or a creator for her teammates. Vic is looking for players who contributes to all aspects of the game. She cannot play as a “spot up shooter” like last year as the makeup of the team is very different without Howard and McCowan.

Her biggest strength (shooting) has not been good lately which is why her minutes have significantly went down. Players like Wiggins, Matharu, Mingo Young all are contributing significantly in ways other than just scoring when on the floor.

I’ve watched her body language on the sideline a lot. She seems to be extremely down in confidence but she has been a great teammate. Seems genuinely happy for her teammates success. She will be hard pressed for playing time next year with Hayes coming in and with the freshmen continuing to develop. Just my opinion though.

 

[Jmsdawg]

She isn’t playing because she isn’t making shots when they present themselves to her. She gets beat off the dribble consistently. She isn’t really a rebounder or a creator for her teammates. Vic is looking for players who contributes to all aspects of the game. She cannot play as a “spot up shooter” like last year as the makeup of the team is very different without Howard and McCowan.

Her biggest strength (shooting) has not been good lately which is why her minutes have significantly went down. Players like Wiggins, Matharu, Mingo Young all are contributing significantly in ways other than just scoring when on the floor.

I’ve watched her body language on the sideline a lot. She seems to be extremely down in confidence but she has been a great teammate. Seems genuinely happy for her teammates success. She will be hard pressed for playing time next year with Hayes coming in and with the freshmen continuing to develop. Just my opinion though.

My prediction, Gaston will be a huge surprise for Vic next year!

 

[JoePgh]

This seems to extend the history of players who leave UConn who do not exactly distinguish themselves at their new school. Is Courtney Ekmark still the standard-setter for capable play on another good team after leaving UConn?

 

[EricLA]

This seems to extend the history of players who leave UConn who do not exactly distinguish themselves at their new school. Is Courtney Ekmark still the standard-setter for capable play on another good team after leaving UConn?

There are several other UCONN transfers (besides Ekmark who you mentioned) who have done well at their new schools:

• Michala Johnson was a starter and contributor when she transferred to Wisconsin to be closer to home (and I think her sister played for Wisconsin).
• Sadie Edwards was a starter and big scorer for USC after transferring there.
• Gordon is getting tons of minutes at TTU and is usually a starter.
• Boykin has had a lackluster career - went from UCONN to Penn State to WVU, where she's sitting out this season due to transfer rules.
• Mikayla Coombs went to Georgia and is sitting out this year due to transfer rules.

The point I'm making is that UCONN is historically the best program in WCBB history. We are usually at, or near, the top of the polls every year. That means Geno recruits really good players who play at a high level. Kids who are 2nd tier seem to transfer out at a high rate. Kids who are 3rd tier (Bent, Irwin, Gardler, Fernandez, Williams (Tahirah), Kerns, Buck, Fernandez, etc.) seem to thrive at UCONN and don't mind playing at the end of games, or getting more PT in blowouts.

I am NOT speculating on transfers, but it will be interesting to see how McLean, Gabriel, and Muhl fit in. I see Bueckers and Edwards as top tier players (i.e. starters at some point during their UCONN careers). We know Gabriel is a huge project, McLean is gifted with athleticism but possibly lacks basketball skills, and Muhl is largely unknown (is she more Makurat or Bent?).

Getting back to AEH - she was a 2nd tier player. At a top 10 program like Mississippi State (or had she remaineid at UCONN), I'm not surprised she's struggling for minutes - put her at Ole Miss and she'd be a starter lighting up the scoreboard. For all her "this is where I was meant to be", it appears she missed a bit on judging how much of an impact she would/could have.

 

[Plebe]

This seems to extend the history of players who leave UConn who do not exactly distinguish themselves at their new school. Is Courtney Ekmark still the standard-setter for capable play on another good team after leaving UConn?

Depends on what you mean by a "good" team.

ASU did well to upset Miami in the 2nd round and reach the Sweet 16, where they got slaughtered by MSU.

AEH's role on last year's MSU team was less prominent than Ekmark's on ASU, but she was a significant contributor on a team that received a #1 seed and could've made the Final Four. To me that's a unique thing. All the other transfers mentioned by @EricLA went to teams that had virtually no chance at a Final Four.

 

[pvdoggy]

There are several other UCONN transfers (besides Ekmark who you mentioned) who have done well at their new schools:

• Michala Johnson was a starter and contributor when she transferred to Wisconsin to be closer to home (and I think her sister played for Wisconsin).
• Sadie Edwards was a starter and big scorer for USC after transferring there.
• Gordon is getting tons of minutes at TTU and is usually a starter.
• Boykin has had a lackluster career - went from UCONN to Penn State to WVU, where she's sitting out this season due to transfer rules.
• Mikayla Coombs went to Georgia and is sitting out this year due to transfer rules.

Wasn't Samarie Walker pretty successful at Kentucky?

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Wasn't Samarie Walker pretty successful at Kentucky?

She was solid. Think she started, but if not she got starter minutes.

 

[DeeHusky]

Wasn't Samarie Walker pretty successful at Kentucky?

Yea she did. She started at UConn as well if I’m not mistaking or she got good minutes. Her situation was not similar to the other players, she just never wanted to be at UConn, her parents wanted her there if I’m remembering correctly.

 

[EricLA]

Yea she did. She started at UConn as well if I’m not mistaking or she got good minutes. Her situation was not similar to the other players, she just never wanted to be at UConn, her parents wanted her there if I’m remembering correctly.

Also, she was homesick and was in a relationship with someone back in Ohio (I believe it was in Ohio), that she really missed, so being in Kentucky was much closer to home...