What Caroline’s return does | Page 2 | The Boneyard

What Caroline’s return does

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Feb 19, 2017
Messages
1,686
Reaction Score
12,801
My only hesitancy about more Caroline is that it seems to mean less Aubrey. figuring out that balance is above my pay grade though.
We played 6 players last night, plenty of minutes for everyone.
 

UConnCat

Wise Woman
Joined
Aug 23, 2011
Messages
13,920
Reaction Score
87,208
Caroline said after the game that she still has what she called “residual symptoms.” Whatever those are, she has been cleared to play by the UConn medical staff, a decision I’m certain has been discussed with Caroline and her parents.
 
Joined
Dec 8, 2019
Messages
1,325
Reaction Score
9,339
Yeah, weird that after 6 weeks and 13 games, they said "screw it, let's just throw her out there and see what happens".
Yeah, that’s what they did; the fully reported and commented on gradual increase in activity from no contact, to light contact, to full contact, to playing was all just a smoke screen when they really just threw “her out there and see what happens“. Come on, really?
 
Joined
Jan 7, 2020
Messages
2,854
Reaction Score
18,667
Yes. It also means that there will be a solid 6 man rotation where you are not trading down. Everyone gets s rest. I like the Aubrey, CD, Lou combo out there with Nika and a big.
 
Joined
Jan 7, 2020
Messages
2,854
Reaction Score
18,667
Her 21 minutes last night came from Aubrey (12), Dorka (8), and Lou (1). Aliya and Nika played 40 :(. Even as Caroline stretches out, Aubrey will still get plenty of time on the floor.
Yes and the player who should have been subbed out last night was Aaliyah. I think you will see everyone but Nika in the turnstile.
 
Joined
Jan 7, 2020
Messages
2,854
Reaction Score
18,667
Seeing Caroline on the court last night was a welcome sight. More than being a positive that this admirable young woman is recovered from her concussion, Caroline brings some tangible benefits:
  • An extra body to give the starters a breather, yes, but more than that, a proven scorer and confident shot of energy off the bench. Before Caroline’s return, Geno was reluctant to sub in when he needed a scoring punch off the bench, now he’s got someone he trusts to maintain - or improve- the level of play set by the starters.
  • Another ball-handler. It’s true Caroline is a wing/forward but I’d rather have her dribbling in the paint than Dorka or Aaliyah
  • Someone besides Lou that can create a shot. Caroline and Lou were moving, moving, moving when they were on the court together in the 4th quarter and the defense was working really hard to keep track of them. That opened up the lane a bit and moved defenders away from the perimeter. Give Caroline or Lou a peek of daylight and they can find a way to create a shot. Invaluable.
  • Speaking of Lou and Caroline and what they do for each other, watch the clip below. Both are on the perimeter and Lou gets the ball. Two defenders collapse on the team’s best three point shooter, leaving Caroline wide open in the corner. I’ve been waiting weeks to see this again. Just imagine when Azzi gets back


It is now a brand new team with her back. What I found most important about the video, other than the effect on the defense, was the " I am all in on this team" reaction from Jana. I think we have a real Husky there.
 
Joined
Jan 7, 2020
Messages
2,854
Reaction Score
18,667
It is now a brand new team with her back. What I found most important about the video, other than the effect on the defense, was the " I am all in on this team" reaction from Jana. I think we have a real Husky there.
Once again, "The UCONN Effect".
 

RedStickHusky

formerly SeoulHuskyFan
Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Messages
4,546
Reaction Score
17,909
Yeah, that’s what they did; the fully reported and commented on gradual increase in activity from no contact, to light contact, to full contact, to playing was all just a smoke screen when they really just threw “her out there and see what happens“. Come on, really?
I notice that you dropped the sarcasm emoji from my post....
 
Joined
Apr 23, 2019
Messages
2,155
Reaction Score
10,873
Seeing Caroline on the court last night was a welcome sight. More than being a positive that this admirable young woman is recovered from her concussion, Caroline brings some tangible benefits:
  • An extra body to give the starters a breather, yes, but more than that, a proven scorer and confident shot of energy off the bench. Before Caroline’s return, Geno was reluctant to sub in when he needed a scoring punch off the bench, now he’s got someone he trusts to maintain - or improve- the level of play set by the starters.
  • Another ball-handler. It’s true Caroline is a wing/forward but I’d rather have her dribbling in the paint than Dorka or Aaliyah
  • Someone besides Lou that can create a shot. Caroline and Lou were moving, moving, moving when they were on the court together in the 4th quarter and the defense was working really hard to keep track of them. That opened up the lane a bit and moved defenders away from the perimeter. Give Caroline or Lou a peek of daylight and they can find a way to create a shot. Invaluable.
  • Speaking of Lou and Caroline and what they do for each other, watch the clip below. Both are on the perimeter and Lou gets the ball. Two defenders collapse on the team’s best three point shooter, leaving Caroline wide open in the corner. I’ve been waiting weeks to see this again. Just imagine when Azzi gets back


I agree with most everything in this post except for the initial comment. Caroline was not in fact an extra body to give the starters a breather, but more just a different one. It was a limited 6 player rotation before and after Caroline's return. Geno substituted Caroline for Ayanna, and that looks like a significant upgrade, but to get starter minutes down to a more reasonable level he would need to take Caroline's return as an opportunity to expand to a 7 player rotation.

Just using Ayanna or Amari for limited minutes to help the bigs could go a long way.. Great bigs don't usually play anywhere close to 40 minutes, for many it is more like 30 or less than that. IMO the drastic shocking difference in performance and rebounding numbers between the two Creighton games makes a pretty clear case for using his substitutes more. Every starter has been worse lately than earlier in the season, even Ray Charles can see that!

Anyway I know there is tremendous disagreement on this, and Caroline is indeed a major help and can help a little in reducing starter minutes, but mainly because Geno will play her more minutes than he used Ayanna, but that by itself is not enough to provide the rest they need. I know Geno said Creighton playing 5 guards was a factor, so maybe in upcoming games Caroline will be an "extra" body and Geno will expand to a rotation of 7 with Ayanna or Amari.

The rest of the post is very good, and in particular I think we could see the synergy between between Lou and Caroline as you point out. The load on Lou as the sole long range threat has taken it's toll, and Caroline is a tremendous help there.
 
Joined
Mar 3, 2015
Messages
908
Reaction Score
6,915
The more scorers you have on the floor, the more space you have for everybody else to operate.
Exactly, which is why I believe if Azzi is 50% or better and available at tournament time, the starting 5 should be Azzi, Lou, Caroline, Edwards, and Dorka. Nika and Aubrey off the bench for “spark”, and defense. I realize how important Nika is, but Azzi, Lou, and Caroline can handle the ball, and put up points, which is what we need more of. Waddauthink?
 
Joined
Jul 20, 2021
Messages
758
Reaction Score
5,088
Yeah, that’s what they did; the fully reported and commented on gradual increase in activity from no contact, to light contact, to full contact, to playing was all just a smoke screen when they really just threw “her out there and see what happens“. Come on, really?
I suspect, with no facts to back it up, that the last step in Caroline’s “Rehab” was to restore her confidence and dispel any lingering fears about the rough & tumble on the floor.
Kudos to “Doctor “ Auriemma for administering the proper dosage.
Those two drives to the hoop were beautiful to watch as she just uncoiled like a sidewinder and flipped the ball in.
Didn’t see any fear as she sliced through the lane and went airborne.
Hope somebody gets a video of the practice sessions before Saturday.
I’m hoping for some renewed mojo.
 
Joined
Mar 9, 2013
Messages
2,015
Reaction Score
6,066
Exactly, which is why I believe if Azzi is 50% or better and available at tournament time, the starting 5 should be Azzi, Lou, Caroline, Edwards, and Dorka. Nika and Aubrey off the bench for “spark”, and defense. I realize how important Nika is, but Azzi, Lou, and Caroline can handle the ball, and put up points, which is what we need more of. Waddauthink?
????? No. Just no.
 

ctchamps

We are UConn!! 4>1 But 5>>>>1 is even better!
Joined
Aug 24, 2011
Messages
17,219
Reaction Score
43,298
Her 21 minutes last night came from Aubrey (12), Dorka (8), and Lou (1). Aliya and Nika played 40 :(. Even as Caroline stretches out, Aubrey will still get plenty of time on the floor.
I know the box score says 40 minutes for Aliya but I thought I saw her subbed out for more than a minute during the game. Was it for less?
 

msf22b

Maestro
Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Messages
6,289
Reaction Score
17,040
You need two shooters on the court to keep the defense from packing the lane. Otherwise we continue to see Lou/Caroline manhandled and defenders pushing the bigs out, just as we’ve been seeing for the last few weeks
Absolutely correct
It takes away the formula of manhandling Lou and packing the paint that has been used against us for weeks.

OT (had to get this in) But it doesn't explain why Caroline was the only sub.

Geno said that since Creighton was playing 5 guards, it was inappropriate to sub in bigs....Consider the logic of that..
1. We had a guard on the bench
2. We were playing two bigs all evening...would it have been illogical to give them each a 5/7minute rest...one at a time; especially when they were hardly dominating.

Caroline came in and helped win the game as she is wont to do.

But an opportunity of slightly alleviating the overall exhaustion of the squad may have been missed.

Surely a legitimate matter of discussion as it was noticed by far more than me.

Apologies for being persistent.
 

RedStickHusky

formerly SeoulHuskyFan
Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Messages
4,546
Reaction Score
17,909
I know the box score says 40 minutes for Aliya but I thought I saw her subbed out for more than a minute during the game. Was it for less?
Now that you mention it, I do think she came out for a bit late in the game... Maybe when Geno was trying to go off/def?
 
Joined
Dec 8, 2019
Messages
1,325
Reaction Score
9,339
I notice that you dropped the sarcasm emoji from my post....
My bad then for sure, but frankly, I went back and looked and there is no emoji on your post that I can see. Assuming there is one and for some reason it is not appearing to me, my apologies for my reply.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Online statistics

Members online
417
Guests online
2,348
Total visitors
2,765

Forum statistics

Threads
159,552
Messages
4,195,408
Members
10,066
Latest member
bardira


.
Top Bottom