- Joined
- Apr 24, 2022
- Messages
- 9,896
- Reaction Score
- 64,611
Don’t worry. I understood you. I was hamhandedly trying to underline your meaning.
Where UConn's Starting Lineup is Heading
- Thread starter oldude
- Start date
I also think that many BYers don't remember how great an all around player Azzi is. It's easy to focus, as you said, on the offensive game when it is so overwhelmingly remarkable. Just look at Paige. Do fans ordinarily say what a great defensive player she is? Nope. They look at the offense because it is actually stunning. What did she do last year when playing the 4 position? Defense was unreal and I think she is one of the best defenders the program has ever had. I love watching her live. Her anticipation on defense is unlike any I can recall. Even if Azzi were the best defender iin the league, it would still be about that incredible range , accuracy, lightning release and versatile moves. So I totally get the point which is well taken.
I would be beyond shocked in a tournament
Game that is competitive /close if more than 8
Players players play Paige and SS
Will play close to 40 minutes Jae and Ice will split time At center Playing 7 players for the additional 2 spots is not realistic
This whole idea of playing so many players makes no sense to me (and yes, South Carolina played nine players last year but Imho that was primarily because there’s no difference in ability between starters in those coming off the bench)
Right now, from what I’ve seen there are seven players, that you could consider starters(the starters plus JAE and Kk)
After that, there is a noticeable fall off,in the quality of the play and that’s not to say that they aren’t very good players, but I don’t think there is good as the top seven(Morgan C.could be the exception )
If AZ returns to form that would make i
8
There will be plenty of minutes in the 20+ games on the schedule that won’t be competitive for the whole roster to get a good deal of playing time
When UConn has a full and healthy roster, of .14 very good players it’s very difficult to get playing time
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2022
- Messages
- 9,896
- Reaction Score
- 64,611
Good observation! This is often the sign of who is the heart of the team. It was always Nika when she was here -- even Paige let her lead the huddles most times. Paige is often the voice in the huddle when she's on the court, and when she sits, Jana has been taking the lead in huddles.
I agree, and I hope she defends HH more according to the scout on her than she did in last season's meeting. Hannah favors her right hand, but KK played her straight up and got beat a number of times. By the USC game last season, all the guards shaded Juju to the right and it limited her a bit, just enough for Paige to take the game away. I noticed against Giannaros on BU, another speedy little guard, both KK and Kaitlyn shaded her on the right hand for this very reason.
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2021
- Messages
- 2,057
- Reaction Score
- 10,059
I think a lot of people will be surprised if Sarah Strong isn't the BE POY two seasons from now. A good as Ashlynn is, her ceiling isn't what Sarah's is, at least in my opinion.
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2024
- Messages
- 812
- Reaction Score
- 3,477
Game 2: USF Rotations Analysis
There is a little narrative after 2 games:
There is a little narrative after 2 games:
- Kaitlyn and KK are equally potent with the other four starters (see Rotations 1 and 8 below);
- These two rotations maximize the separation against the opponent;
- Almost half of all possessions used the two rotations above; Geno used the other half to weave in Jana, Morgan, Allie and Q for their development and minutes and to give his core six players intermittent breathers;
- At the BU and USF level, practically all rotations did not lose to their opponent rotations;
- Taken together, all rotations other than Rotations 1 and 8, produced roughly the same combined stats as Rotations 1 plus 8 (see EFFiciency, +/-, TPTS, etc.);
- This suggests that (5)+5 is viable;
- It will be interesting to see if the pattern holds for future games.
- Kaitlyn and KK share the (1) position;
- Jana and Ice share the (5) position;
- Sarah and Morgan share the (4) position;
- Ash is primarily used for the (2) position;
- Paige is primarily used for the (3) position, though Geno toyed with lineups for a very brief time where she could be the (1) or the (4);
- Allie and Q are glue, this time at the (2)-(3) positions.
.-.
I would take that also in a heartbeat.
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2013
- Messages
- 7,390
- Reaction Score
- 19,962
This is a dumb question but what is pos? I know pos normally means position.
HuskyNan
You Know Who
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2011
- Messages
- 29,700
- Reaction Score
- 271,214
Geno hasn't used a traditional 1-5 lineup in decades.
MooseJaw
Bullmoose#1
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2020
- Messages
- 1,690
- Reaction Score
- 7,771
I agree with you on Sarah having a higher ceiling, maybe in part because she will be playing all over the court, but much closer to the hoop than Ash for most of the game. However at least 2 years ago when Ash, KK and Q all announced for UCONN I wrote on the BY that I thought that Ash may very well become the future face of the team. Will she? Maybe, but one thing is clear Ash has become a fan favorite, a BY darling, after Paige my favorite player. Why you ask, Ash never ever takes a minute, no not even a second off, she plays the game one-way, full speed ahead dam the opposition. Ash is the embodiment of a Husky player; we are lucky to be able to enjoy her time as a loyal Husky. Last thought, no one, and I stress no one, and this is beyond argument will ever outwork Ash never end of story.
Bigboote
That's big-boo-TAY
- Joined
- Dec 16, 2016
- Messages
- 8,619
- Reaction Score
- 46,781
I shouted about three times last game, "Chen needs to remember she's not playing for Princeton!" The turnovers and picking up the dribble are largely due to her taking on too much herself. (A couple of the times she got stuck in no-man's land, there were 10-15 seconds still on the clock.) The past three years, she had to do a lot of that, but this year she has other very capable scorers on the floor with her.
She's a smart kid being coached by the best staff in the nation. She'll get it, but there's a lot to remove from memory and there will be a few oopses on the way.
There was that one play where Allie was completely open in the corner and she forced the move. You have the best 3 point shooter in high school open at a sweet spot which is practiced over and over by even pick up players, you give her the ball.
.-.
We all love Ash. As Geno has said, she has an aggressive personality by nature and she should play that way also. He pointed to one play in his post game interview on the floor after the game where she did play aggressively and it resulted in a steal. She and everyone else, even Paige, are growing and maturing as we watch. I think Ash's pull up is stronger and straighter this year than last year's because she is stronger. I also thought her left handed take off a crossover on the fast break was almost text book. That is a tough shot to make but the significance of it was that she used her left hand in that move as well as her right. That only comes by living the same mantra in the old joke you use to get to Carnegie Hall.I agree with you on Sarah having a higher ceiling, maybe in part because she will be playing all over the court, but much closer to the hoop than Ash for most of the game. However at least 2 years ago when Ash, KK and Q all announced for UCONN I wrote on the BY that I thought that Ash may very well become the future face of the team. Will she? Maybe, but one thing is clear Ash has become a fan favorite, a BY darling, after Paige my favorite player. Why you ask, Ash never ever takes a minute, no not even a second off, she plays the game one-way, full speed ahead dam the opposition. Ash is the embodiment of a Husky player; we are lucky to be able to enjoy her time as a loyal Husky. Last thought, no one, and I stress no one, and this is beyond argument will ever outwork Ash never end of story.
HuskyNan
You Know Who
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2011
- Messages
- 29,700
- Reaction Score
- 271,214
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2024
- Messages
- 812
- Reaction Score
- 3,477
On paper, when you look at the rotation. I know that Geno’s players play aspects of different positions on every offensive possession. On switching defense, Geno also likes players who can defend different players.
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2024
- Messages
- 812
- Reaction Score
- 3,477
POS is an abbreviation for Possessions (p is another). It is not available from Boxscores.
- The Boxscore FGA, in addition to missing missed FGAs with awarded FTs and possessions with referee-awarded FTs (RFGAs) like over-the-limit-PF FTs, is also distorted by OREBs; it also misses non-FGA possessions.
- There is a related statistic called PACE, which is just POS for 48 minutes instead of 40.
- I use the exact method from play-by-play info inputted to the tool that I built.
- It (supplementing boxscores and a visual eye test) more readily explains why a team can beat its opponent, even tall athletic teams that win rebounding;
- It removes the distortion of OREBS from a phone book offense — many OREBS contribute to just one possession where a team scores anywhere (normally) 0-4 points;
- “Basketball is a game of possessions” is not just an empty aphorism;
- Geno likes around 80 POS #1 per game because his efficient offense works optimally at that pace;
- It is wonderfully surprising that UConn spectacularly won the USF game which had 68 POS with a quality opponent and UConn’s young roster; it suggests that UConn’s lineup is wonderfully ahead of what you would expect this early.
- UConn’s offensive execution in FGA possessions is simply better than both USF’s defense and USF’s offensive execution;
- UConn spent 14s for FGMs; 23s for missed FGAs (without FTs), and 18s on non-FGA possessions.
I’ll always think of Donald Sutherland’s characterization of POS.
So, every BYer that has any doubts or a cloudy memory about how good Azzi is should watch these highlights. There is not a quicker, more pure release in women's college basketball and maybe anywhere. With her and Paige and Ash and Sarah you have 4 potent shooters and scorers and an offensive contingent we perhaps have never seen here. Throw a little Morgan and Allie in the mix and you simply cannot leave anyone open at all from the outside. Sarah may not be not the consistent or pure shooter that the others are right now but she is a great scorer. and is poised to do great things here.
.-.
Agree. As I watched that game the second time, that play stood out to me.
I have been disappointed so far with Chen, who I thought would be setting the example for KK with regard to not getting herself in trouble. So far, Chen is doing just what KK did last year and it is NOT necessary. Small sample size but as she has gotten stuck, there has always been an outlet to pass to, who could put the ball into the hoop.
As someone posted above, maybe she just needs to get over her Princeton habits.
Of course you are right. The 3 guards are basically interchangable and the 2 posts as well...
...but for discussion purposes, you can still identify a 1-5.
1 - point - brings ball up, initiates offense, regroups late in shot clock.
2 - shooting guard - hunts their shot working thru screens
3 - wing - like 2, but more hanging out on perimeter, or backdoor cuts.
4 - forward - works a zone from low post to corner 3.
5 - center - works a zone from low post to high post.
If the 4 and 5 can shoot the 3, their area can extend even beyond the arc, setting screens for the guards.
You can usually figure out, at least on a possession by possession basis, who is in what role.
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2022
- Messages
- 9,896
- Reaction Score
- 64,611
You make a good point, and your description of the roles is a good one. But I think @HuskyNan also is right and maybe tells a deeper truth here. 3 guards and 2 posts are often discernible. But even this has gotten murky in the past, like last season or like with the Gabby-led teams. Even Geno’s use of a high post passer like Liv or Aaliyah or Dorka is a bit of a departure from traditional 4-5 roles.
One thing I can’t help observing is that while Geno’s offense is often more or less positionless, the defense is not. On defense, he has to respond to what the opposing team does, and if they are organized 1-5, his players have to deal with that. He sometimes talks about switching 1-5 and this runs counter to the traditional roles on defense. But he also often has them in a traditional positional scheme.
So, I’d look to the defense more than to the offense to identify the usual positions. But to get back to your point, in the first three games, the posts have been playing more post-like than usual. Jana especially has spent a lot of time grappling for position in the low post, and Ice too, to a lesser extent. This is consistent with your analysis. but a tiny doubt creeps in with Sarah. Even though she does her share of crashing the boards and defending the post, she also occupies the perimeter quite a bit on defense and offense. And as for transition passes, Sarah and Ash and Paige have done quite a bit of that, maybe more than Kaitlyn and Paige. This was the hallmark of the Gabby-led teams: anyone could initiate the fast break.
Sarah is an odd figure in any traditional alignment, since she scores and defends in several ways. This is an expression of Geno’s preference for Swiss-army-knife players. They aren’t all like this, but he likes to have a few of them. And this season he may have four of them: Sarah Paige Morgan Aubrey. Maybe Ash too, to some extent.