What we’ve learned about the UConn women’s basketball team this season, both with and without Paige Bueckers

[Carnac]

By ALEXA PHILIPPOU
HARTFORD COURANT - DEC 20, 2021 AT 9:07 PM

With nine of 31 regular season games under its belt, the No. 11 UConn women’s basketball team enters the holiday break in a fascinating place: We’re far enough along in the season to know what this team’s strengths and weaknesses are, even with a healthy Paige Bueckers. But with Bueckers expected to be out until February, this team is still figuring out how to play — and in particular how to win against top competition — without her. If all goes to plan, the Huskies will soon add back into the rotation sophomore Nika Mühl and freshman Azzi Fudd, which should greatly help the team’s backcourt.

Louisville coach Jeff Walz explained Sunday how UConn’s poor shooting makes it easier for opposing teams to defend them.
“Paige shoots the basketball well. Azzi does also. I mean, they’ve got two kids that can shoot the 3 and spread things out and stretch things,” Walz said. “Now they just don’t shoot it as well. So you’re able to pack in [the paint] more. You’re able to help off and try and help on their post players.”

What we’ve learned about the UConn women’s basketball team this season, both with and without Paige Bueckers

With nine of 31 regular season games under its belt, the No. 11 UConn women’s basketball team enters the holiday break in a fascinating place: We’re far enough along in the season to kn…

www.courant.com

 

[Surly1]

By ALEXA PHILIPPOU
HARTFORD COURANT - DEC 20, 2021 AT 9:07 PM

With nine of 31 regular season games under its belt, the No. 11 UConn women’s basketball team enters the holiday break in a fascinating place: We’re far enough along in the season to know what this team’s strengths and weaknesses are, even with a healthy Paige Bueckers. But with Bueckers expected to be out until February, this team is still figuring out how to play — and in particular how to win against top competition — without her. If all goes to plan, the Huskies will soon add back into the rotation sophomore Nika Mühl and freshman Azzi Fudd, which should greatly help the team’s backcourt.

Louisville coach Jeff Walz explained Sunday how UConn’s poor shooting makes it easier for opposing teams to defend them.
“Paige shoots the basketball well. Azzi does also. I mean, they’ve got two kids that can shoot the 3 and spread things out and stretch things,” Walz said. “Now they just don’t shoot it as well. So you’re able to pack in [the paint] more. You’re able to help off and try and help on their post players.”

What we’ve learned about the UConn women’s basketball team this season, both with and without Paige Bueckers

With nine of 31 regular season games under its belt, the No. 11 UConn women’s basketball team enters the holiday break in a fascinating place: We’re far enough along in the season to kn…

www.courant.com

The article fails to elaborate on one key element. Philippou references Paige shooting 31% from the 3-pt area. First, she hasn’t taken that many shots from the 3-pt area, but she creates spacing due to her ability to put the ball on the floor and hit from anywhere, particularly the 15-18 ft area.

We know what we are going to receive from Williams, Westbrook and Nelson-Ododo. They’ll be stretches when we think they‘ve turned it around, only to have a setback. Consistency is not their forte.

I’d like to suggest that UConn’s ceiling this season can be higher if Bueckers, Fudd & Ducharme become the primary offensive weapons. This does not mean replacing Westbrook or Williams, but the aforementioned three are better fits for the system that Geno wants to play. UConn has struggled offensively even when Paige is on the floor, because she hasn’t had the right players who can most benefit from her prodigious skills. We’ve seen glimpses of what Azzi and Caroline are capable of individually, but not the potential juggernaut when all 3 are on the floor together, with Paige running the show.

A healthy group can run 9-10 deep giving UConn the flexibility to play big, run a guard oriented offense, play defensive minded, or feature outside shooting with plenty of back door cuts.

I also think think the team can benefit at the end of the season by getting DeBerry some quality minutes in conference play. She is part of UConn’s future and from the very limited minutes, she shows hints of being a talented, finesse big.

 

[GoUconn7961]

All any opposing team need to do is press on the inbounds, play zone defense & get Liv in foul trouble early. So far that's been the recipe since the injuries. But even before those the team had a lot of trouble being pressed on the inbounds pass especially late in the game. Maybe if they fix those issues things will change. Hard to fix the zone problem if they can't make outside shots.

 

[jdote33]

I think the most encouraging thing I've learned is that CD's got the juice as the kids say. Even before the big game against Louisville, the 4th quarter against ND was amazing. Also you see the more minutes she gets, the more comfortable she is. I thought initially she was a bit rushed but in the past couple games she's done a good job of playing at a good pace and working through the offense.
In relation to that, I think the depth that everyone predicted was pretty accurate. Caroline is for sure a contributor worthy of at least 20 minutes a game when everyone is healthy. I also think Dorka over the past couple games has proven to be a contributor as well. The big thing with her it seems is confidence and comfort on the floor. For three years she was that player for her team, and while it's admirable to accept a different role, it must be difficult to get 10 to 12 minutes a game, all under pressure from coach. I remember she bricked a 3 in the Arkansas game, and Geno got into her and the team about taking dumb shots. I think its smart to put her in the starting lineup and bring AE off the bench for both players. AE can assume the role she had much of last year, and not put too much pressure on herself. They need her minutes/physicality. So I think their are 8 players who really should get atleast ~20 minutes a game (DJ, PB, CD, CW, EW, ONO, , AE)
The biggest unknown to me is Azzi. Like how does she fit, especially with the senior guards ahead of her. Can she defend other guards? How can she get shots in the flow of the offense and not be forgotten about. I feel like CD will hunt down shots, but Azzi and even the senior guards can have moments where they really struggle to get involved/stay engaged. I think her coming back and playing big minutes will be great for her and the team. They have really big non conference games against some really good guards who are sort of like Azzi's peers that she should get up for.
The second big unknown is Paige which almost feels blasphemous to even say that. It's probably not fair to expect her to be the same player she was at the beginning of the season, after a major injury...Or is it? I'd imagine UConn wouldn't bring her back if she wasn't ready.
Last thing, I agree that a zone can really impact CW and pressing a guard like EW is going to be tough on our offensive flow. However, I think CD and Azzi are really the perfect tandem to combat it. CD with her size and she also has the ability to handle the basketball, and Azzi has guard skills as well.

 

[Stymie]

One cannot minimize the problems Caroline can present to the opposition.
Can handle the ball, hits the 3 from the wing and straightaway, comes up with blocks and isn’t afraid to mix it up underneath. Superb rebound inside with short dish to Dorka last game.
We also got to see her quasi running hook shot inside last week- something that many here have been imploring “someone else” to develop for years.
Also HITS HER FOUL SHOTS.
I think her development will dramatically Christyn’s minutes (or should).

 

[BobbyJ]

The article fails to elaborate on one key element. Philippou references Paige shooting 31% from the 3-pt area. First, she hasn’t taken that many shots from the 3-pt area, but she creates spacing due to her ability to put the ball on the floor and hit from anywhere, particularly the 15-18 ft area.

We know what we are going to receive from Williams, Westbrook and Nelson-Ododo. They’ll be stretches when we think they‘ve turned it around, only to have a setback. Consistency is not their forte.

I’d like to suggest that UConn’s ceiling this season can be higher if Bueckers, Fudd & Ducharme become the primary offensive weapons. This does not mean replacing Westbrook or Williams, but the aforementioned three are better fits for the system that Geno wants to play. UConn has struggled offensively even when Paige is on the floor, because she hasn’t had the right players who can most benefit from her prodigious skills. We’ve seen glimpses of what Azzi and Caroline are capable of individually, but not the potential juggernaut when all 3 are on the floor together, with Paige running the show.

A healthy group can run 9-10 deep giving UConn the flexibility to play big, run a guard oriented offense, play defensive minded, or feature outside shooting with plenty of back door cuts.

I also think think the team can benefit at the end of the season by getting DeBerry some quality minutes in conference play. She is part of UConn’s future and from the very limited minutes, she shows hints of being a talented, finesse big.

But that doesn't mean they can't right?