What was Paige doing for 2.5 quarters??

[tomcat]

I don't think he or she is saying that but he or she is saying something important. CW takes too many shots and it seems as though the team, especially Paige, are deferring to her at least in the beginning of the game. 0-5 from the 3 last night was a real problem, even more so when you have 2 high % 3 point shooters in Paige and Evina. This isn't going to magically change for CW. It's a major weakness in her game and has to be curtailed. She has great drive and pull up moves and that's what she should be taking. Why did Aubrey shoot three 3s? It was their game plan to leave her open. Pass it to Paige or Evina or even an open Nika.

At last I'm seeing someone else saying what I thought I was noticing. More than once Paige went out toward the corner and was absolutely free, and no one -- no one - thought to get her the ball. This was throughout the first half. I'm not saying Paige wasn't giving the effort, and neither are the others. The point is that for whatever reason, the team looks to her only as the game goes on. It's almost as if they want to try to do it without her, and if they can't, then they turn to her later.
If Geno wants Paige to shoot more than, well, she has to actually get the ball in a place where she can shoot, or advance the play. That requires other players to be involved.

 

[hart2hart]

Let’s see what plays out tomorrow. Possibly more shot by Paige? Love her, either way!

 

[Fore!]

So I guess we have a new coach in town???

To be fair, that is exactly what Geno has been saying all season, Paige needs to be more selfish offensively; she finally did so in the last quarter.

 

[npignatjr]

Sigh...Many of you missed my point. I think Paige is the best Frosh in the country & probably Top 3 to 5 player in the country. Given that (!), it was just baffling to me why she wasnt involved more for such a long part of the game. Is there a problem with UConn's pre-game strategy, execution, in-game adjustments, etc? It's a bigger question that I'm calling out - not Paige's ability or faults.

Yes and Arkansas had 1 too in Dungee a 5th year senior

 

[Shenandoah]

My thoughts on ONO. First of all, when she is on, and motivated, she is an incredible talent, with strong post moves, and a nice jump shot from the elbow. However, she seems to get tentative in the "big games". She is having trouble, at times, recognizing when the D collapses down on her, and she continues to put the ball on the floor. Lastly, when she plays good D, the blocks come, but she has fallen in love with the intimidating, knock it into the 23rd row, block. That is where her fouls come from. JMO

 

[oldhusky]

I don't know if this was addressed in the postgame thread...it had a bit too much length to delve into it but I was really concerned when Paige went to the bench with about 4 minutes to go in the first half. I did think her ankle might have been bothering her. But she played the entire second half and seemed to be moving just fine,...what a relief!
We know that Geno has been on her about shooting more and maybe she got that message in the halftime chat.
She was 10-15 from the floor...with maybe only 4 of those in the first half. So clearly by the numbers and the eye-test she was looking for her shot in the second half.

A silver lining last night was the rather sudden emergence of Nika as a solid back-up type point...hope that continues.
She seemed comfortable handling the ball against athletic guards and that should enable both Paige and Evina to let her have some of the point guard responsibilities in bringing the ball up court while letting those two focus on getting open.
I want the ball to go thru Paige and/or Evina practically every possession when the game is tight...and Nika can help there. I love her overall intensity to fit in/get better/help the team in practice and now games. Nika was a very bright
light yesterday.

Many good points here. Paige is an unselfish pass first player at heart. Geno wants her to think a little more like a scorer, like her second half. He belies that partly because he knows we are lacking very good shooters, and the only one other than Paige (Anna,) is out, so who can she pass to?

On the pecking order of who should create something from nothing, clearly Paige is the first option and probably the only strategic one vs. running the offense. If time is running out on the clock Evina I think is next followed by CW, but Paige is the only player that you could say rather than run the offense, lets just let her create something.

The Nika part of the strategy depends on if she is used as the Paige backup, or as more of the third guard in a three guard rotation. In the later role, when paired with Paige, it think it is much better for Nika to play the point guard role, and Paige think more like a SG with more shot attempts as Geno wants. Even more important if you had to grade Paige at either position it would be great at both. Nika can be a good point guard, but is largely miscast as a SG, or standing in the corner at the three point line. So letting nika handle the ball more when both are in helps her game, doesn't hurt Paige's, and turns Paige into more of the scorer Geno and much of the Boneyard is looking for.

 

[60'sfan]

I agree that CW takes too many shots. Well, the real problem is she misses too many shots. Not just in the Ark game, but all season. You can look it up yourselves. Her shooting pct stinks. I also don' think she is very good on the drive. I recall a least 3 times she drove into a wall of 2 or 3 opponents and lost the ball. This was not an anomaly. she looses the ball in some form or fashion before the ball makes it at least to he rim far to often.

Those of you who disagree with me (and I know from previous posts that includes most of you}, must be watching different games than me.

I think it may be that Kristen is drawing the best defenders. After all she is a junior who was the number one player coming out of high school. I think she will come around and be the Kristin we saw against Notre Dame two years ago.

 

[Dokey]

I hope Bueckers stays a pass first player. She recognizes shooting opportunities and takes them already.

Here is where Anna is missed. Her passing means more opportunities for Paige to shoot.