What Caroline’s return does

[hoopsnloops32]

If Azzi is back, that would not be our best starting five.

I assume Geno has received your instructions?

You, browns, plus Littlemin and others call it absurd to try to field the best possible team the Huskies can muster. Why is it absurd to consider that a team with a healthy Azzi, a healthy Caroline, plus Aubrey, Dorka and Aaliyah might be the best team possible? Sounds pretty darned good to me.

It is not about sending Nika to the bench. It's about making the Huskies the best they can be... we have a difference of opinion. I know, I know, Geno said this, Geno said that.... Geno says a lot of things, and will do what's best for the team at any given time.

Sadly, it's possibly a moot point if Azzi isn't close to 100 percent come tournament time.

Because Azzi isn’t a point guard and you limit her abilities and strengths by making her the primary ball handler.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

Considering she suffered a set back from when the knee was originally injured, I'm not so sure. If she's only doing exercises, it sounds like it's still some time until anyone will know whether she can compete at a level to help the team. I'd rather see her back fully healthy for next season versus pushing herself and it being too soon.

She’s not only doing exercises. She’s doing some non contact drills and doing 1 on 1 workouts with Morgan. I’m not sure why you think what you want trumps what Azzi wants?

 

[Gordo]

They are both (Caroline & Lou) somewhat slow and somewhat foul-prone

Where on earth did you get that idea? Caroline has averaged 1.6 fouls per game since putting on a UConn uniform. That's hardly considered foul-prone!

 

[MSGRET]

I thoroughly disagree--I did not see this as a foul. The Creighton player's hand came forward and made contact with Caroline's hand after Caroline's shot release and did not nothing to impair Caroline's shot, therefore IMO, the analyst was correct in her assessment and given the importance of the call, her analysis objectively and appropriately pointed out a controversial call that changed the outcome of the game...

You know that I guess you are incorrect because it was called a foul, so you and Meg will just have to live with it.

 

[JRRRJ]

I'm quite surprised that in 87 posts in this thread, no one has referred to Geno's comments in his postgame press conference about his anxiety regarding perimeter defense when Caroline and Lou are on the floor at the same time.

They are both somewhat slow and somewhat foul-prone, and a team with one or more small, fast guards could potentially dance right through them to the basket. That team is not Creighton and not Villanova or Marquette, but in the Big East it might be Seton Hall, DePaul, or St. John's. Against teams like that, it sounds like we will see a lot of Aubrey and not very much of Caroline and Lou on the floor together.

Another thing that Geno will probably deploy (as he did a bit against Creighton) is a 3-2 zone defense, which makes it somewhat easier for defenders like Lou and Caroline to contain penetration.

Caroline and Aubrey are tied for the second-lowest foul rate per minute on the team. (Dorka is lowest)

Every time I watched Caroline on man-to-man defense she was running sideways as fast as her assignment was running forwards. And she was not out of position or missing switches as often as some of the others on the floor.

 

[The deacon]

Because Azzi isn’t a point guard and you limit her abilities and strengths by making her the primary ball handler.

Azzi has point guard experience, hoops. Do you really think there are skills that Nika has that a healthy Azzi wouldn't have?

Plus, there are outstanding point guards who are also good scorers (think maybe Caitlin Clark?).

 

[JoePgh]

You know that I guess you are incorrect because it was called a foul, so you and Meg will just have to live with it.

Beyond that, the follow-through is considered part of the shooting motion, so a foul after the shooter releases the shot is still a foul during the act of shooting, and free throws should ensue.

You see that happen frequently when a 3-point shooter is fouled. Often the contact occurs after the shot has been released, but the shooter still gets 3 free throws if she missed, or an and-1 if she made the shot.

You can make the argument that even though it might be a foul in the rulebook, it shouldn't be called in that game situation. That is the same debate that occurred about the pass interference penalty against the Eagles in the Super Bowl, and the answer depends on your philosophy about how officials should make calls at the end of games.

One might note that the same issue arose a couple of years ago, at the end of the UConn-Baylor Elite Eight game. Either Liv or Aaliyah almost certainly did foul Dijonae Carrington on her last shot attempt, but it was not called, possibly because the ref didn't think it was appropriate in that situation (and also because the game had not been called tightly up to that point). Different refs make different judgments about that, so it's always best not to leave the game in their hands (which it wouldn't have been if Christyn had made her free throws immediately prior to that play).

 

[hoopsnloops32]

Azzi has point guard experience, hoops. Do you really think there are skills that Nika has that a healthy Azzi wouldn't have?

Plus, there are outstanding point guards who are also good scorers (think maybe Caitlin Clark?).

Nika is a much better passer than Azzi will ever be. You are also going to take away Azzi’s scoring by making her responsible to create shots for others. Clark is a point guard. Azzi is not. Not comparable examples.

 

[cancontent]

She’s not only doing exercises. She’s doing some non contact drills and doing 1 on 1 workouts with Morgan. I’m not sure why you think what you want trumps what Azzi wants?

1) Where did you get that impression? All I'm expressing is an opinion, no different than anyone else. Others are talking about Azzi back on the court at 50% or some percentage. I disagree and expressed my preference. No one's opinions here trumps what UConn or Azzi wants.

2) It's also reality that players sometimes come back too soon. Jacy Sheldon of OSU is a current example. They gave it a go one game and she's back out with no clear timeline of return.

 

[HuskyNan]