What Caroline’s return does

[Littlemin]

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.

No, don’t put words in my mouth please. What is absurd to me is that you think that is the best possible team the Huskies can muster. And, oh by the way, the post I answered describing as “absurd” talked about making the change if Fudd was above 50%, so you changed the post I answered from that to a “healthy” or “close to 100 per cent” Fudd. Regardless, while I disagree with a Bueckers at point being UConn’s best team, it is an understandable argument, the one without her and not starting Muhl is ridiculous.
And for the record, I still stand by my opinion that changing the starting lineup last year for the NCAAs cost Uconn a legit chance at the championship, as proven by them being non-competitive with SC in the finals. It got them to the finals but “pretty ball” was never going to beat SC and that was my posted opinion before a game was even tipped off in the tournament.

 

[RedStickHusky]

No, don’t put words in my mouth please. What is absurd to me is that you think that is the best possible team the Huskies can muster. And, oh by the way, the post I answered describing as “absurd” talked about making the change if Fudd was above 50%, so you changed the post I answered from that to a “healthy” or “close to 100 per cent” Fudd. Regardless, while I disagree with a Bueckers at point being UConn’s best team, it is an understandable argument, the one without her and not starting Muhl is ridiculous.
And for the record, I still stand by my opinion that changing the starting lineup last year for the NCAAs cost Uconn a legit chance at the championship, as proven by them being non-competitive with SC in the finals. It got them to the finals but “pretty ball” was never going to beat SC and that was my posted opinion before a game was even tipped off in the tournament.

Not my argument but as far as SC last year, I suspect the loss of Dorka probably had at least as much to do with that outcome than the decision to start Paige over Nika.

 

[NEforceUConn]

you just don't get nika's value to the team. her leadership is immense.

Guess you are a Yankee fan given your dislike for my musical contribution.

All good

Had to reply to your post to catch your attention. Regarding Nika she is the bomb and glue for the team.

 

[msf22b]

I've expressed the unpopular position that having Caroline back
won't be quite enough to get the team out of the doldrums its been in for a few weeks.

In an earlier post, I compared it to a general, feeding in regiments piecemeal into a battle, rather than a single massed stroke akin to Burnside at Fredericksburg.
(apologies to civil war experts, one in particular whom I miss).

Of course, the situations are not precisely parallel as Geno does not have the option of Azzi and Paige suiting up simultaneously with CD.

So, he's got Caroline for now and Azzi in the future (maybe) and who knows the miracle of Paige in the NCAA's (she proclaims).

I'd absolutely, utterly, happily be completely wrong on this one
but my gut tells me the one semi-superstar is not quite enough.

We'll see against "Nova"

 

[The deacon]

No, don’t put words in my mouth please. What is absurd to me is that you think that is the best possible team the Huskies can muster. And, oh by the way, the post I answered describing as “absurd” talked about making the change if Fudd was above 50%, so you changed the post I answered from that to a “healthy” or “close to 100 per cent” Fudd. Regardless, while I disagree with a Bueckers at point being UConn’s best team, it is an understandable argument, the one without her and not starting Muhl is ridiculous.
And for the record, I still stand by my opinion that changing the starting lineup last year for the NCAAs cost Uconn a legit chance at the championship, as proven by them being non-competitive with SC in the finals. It got them to the finals but “pretty ball” was never going to beat SC and that was my posted opinion before a game was even tipped off in the tournament.

Sorry my opinion is absurd and ridiculous, Littlemin. I'll strive against great odds to reach your level of wisdom in years to come.

By the way, tell last year's team it was non-competitive with South Carolina when it was just six points down in the final minute of the third period.

 

[Forego]

We also got some much needed " luck." Creighton had a wide open lay-up off an under the basket throw in, and the player mishandled the ball and created a turnover instead of a bucket. We also got a phantom call on the block of Caroline's shot in the waning seconds. A call which allowed her the chance to sink two critical free throws. replays showed the Creighton player got all ball. The refs must close their eyes and blow the whistle on any really good defensive play, imagining it cannot be made without a foul.

Sometimes, it is better to be lucky than good.

Luck tends to run both ways. I read the box score before I saw the replay and asked myself how could we get out-rebounded by a much shorter team? After watching the game I knew the answer. Creighton got lucky repeatedly by getting those long range offensive rebounds after missed 3 pt attempts. Sometimes two times during a single procession usually resulting in a three. Our luck came at the most critical moments of the game making it appear that we were just lucky or Creighton was unlucky.

 

[Alydar]

My only hesitancy about more Caroline is that it seems to mean less Aubrey. figuring out that balance is above my pay grade though.

At least against BE teams they will play together when Geno wants to rest either Juhasz or Edwards.

 

[Bigboote]

I haven't seen it mentioned yet, directly pertinent to the thread title:

Geno said, I think about Paige: She wants the ball in her hands at the end. She wants to take the shot. That's not something you can teach, and we need players who want to take the critical shot.

20 minutes after returning from a six-week hiatus, Caroline wanted the ball and wanted to take the shot. She took the shot and sank the free throws. That's one of the big things Caroline's return does.

 

[tchalla1]

Agree with you about the last foul which put CD at the line, Only one reply showed that contact but the SNY people kept showing the replay where you couldn't see the contact.

What bothers me about Meg's commentary is she seems to want to go overboard as far as being fair to both teams. On this foul, Allen saw the "foul reply" and commented on it. After that replay and after Allen's comment about the hand hitting CD's hand. Meg continued with her "bad call" commentary. Meg you are on the UCONN telecast. No need to being going overboard being positive about our opponent. This is not a national broadcast, it's a Husky broadcast

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...

 

[Topdawg]

Against small teams and very big teams, Geno has the option of going with a faster 4 guard lineup. If all four are attacking and shooting, we will have a better chance of taking on teams like SCar. Azzi would be needed for this to work.

 

[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]