Who should take the Shot?!

[ochoopsfan]

Lou, who else would I pick!

 

[Centerstream]

Lou, who else would I pick!

You stole my answer!!!

 

[Sicilian]

Crystal is at 5’5’ the only one I trust to come up big. No one else has shown the intestinal fortitude in the big moment.

 

[eebmg]

Lou, who else would I pick!

Pulido.

 

[BBallF]

Crystal. And when Geno is setting up a diversion play to Meg or Anna in the huddle, Crystal will look him in the eyes and say "Coach, I'll make it". And she will.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Just to point out, Anna began the season 2 for 19 from three during the first five games. Since then, she's shot 46% from three over the next 24 games. And that includes a stretch of three straight games when she went 0 for.

So a tremendous outside shooter has emerged, though the season stats don't show the true blossoming!

 

[and one]

CD gets the most love here, with Meg and Anna having support also. ONO not as much, although she is my choice as first option. That aside, it isn't unusual for a team to look for a good last shot and end up with a bad heave as the buzzer sounds. So who do we know that doesn't get guarded? Three seconds left, ball to wide open Griff at the 3 arc. Swish!

 

[reno tony]

Sue off a double screen and a pass from DT. Where am I? What year is it? Ooooooorrrrrrrr.... a Crystal drive toward the basket with a pass to whoever is open followed by another pass to someone more open for the easy basket.

 

[bluedevil]

AG will drive and be fouled and make 2 fts

 

[uconnfan68]

So you think Geno is going to design a last second shot where everyone stands around watching Crystal either win or lose the game by herself?

Here’s what’s going to happen. Anna and Megan will each position themselves in a corner behind the arc, with Christyn behind the arc at the wing. Crystal, who has tremendous range will force a defender to cover her well beyond the arc at the top of the key

That positioning will effectively spread the floor. Liv will flash up to the high post to set a screen for Crystal. That’s when all the fun begins.

1. If Crystal’s defender goes behind the screen, she will pull up for an open 3
2. If Liv’s defender switches hard onto Crystal, Liv will roll hard to the basket where she will have a mismatch, and Crystal will get her the ball.
3. If Crystal’s defender fights her way over Liv’s screen, there are several more options:
4. If Crystal has a half step she will go up for a mid-range jumper
5. If another player collapses on Crystal to double her, or even turns her head to look at her, there are more options:
6. For a double-team either Meg, Anna or Christyn will be wide open at the arc. Crystal will get the ball to them and they will have the responsibility of knocking down the shot.
7. If a defender turns her head to watch, a UConn player (Meg, Anna or Christyn) will make a hard backdoor cut for an open layup.

So yes, Crystal will have the ball in her hands in order to take the last shot, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that she will actually take the last shot.

Wait, you don’t think they’ve already practiced this scenario?

 

[oldude]

Wait, you don’t think they’ve already practiced this scenario?

Every single day.

 

[and one]

Wait, you don’t think they’ve already practiced this scenario?

Unfortunately the other team practices defending the final shot scenario

 

[hart2hart]

Crystal, then Megan then Anna!
Double Screen all the way!
My favorite all time double screen was Dee vs Texas......It’s Taurasi time I remember as Jody Conradt was so nervous about Dee taking over the game! That DS was simply awesome! We won!

 

[oldude]

Unfortunately the other team practices defending the final shot scenario

If you execute the play correctly, the defense has to make a choice, in which they can’t cover every option. Then it all comes down to making the shot or not.

 

[hart2hart]

So true Oldude!
Make that shot!

 

[NEforceUConn]

Lou, who else would I pick!

Should have told Geno that last year.

 

[Steelerone]

Actually the great thing right now is that any of the four (Megan, Crystal, Anna, and Christine) are capable of hitting the outside shot. The problem is the time they get to set themselves up. Against the majority of the league teams we have played that has not been a huge problem. It's what happens when we play an athletic team who also plays a tight defense. They will give up some of the middle in order to limit the time the player has to set up. Minus another big body to go inside we could face the same problems unless the outside shooters can take at least a half second off their setup time.

 

[cferraro04]

The fact that the question was asked and the responders came up with 4 options...bodes well for UConn. I agree with the poster who said a certain person for a certain situation. Strictly going with just one person...I have to say I give it to Crystal. The team lives or dies with its senior. She has made clutch shot after clutch shot. She seems to score just when we need her to. But, I am happy that I know either Megan or Anna can be counted on to score as well.

 

[Dokey]

Be grateful that Anna, Meg or Crystal could make the shot, which means the opposing team won’t know who to guard. On the other hand who is most likely to make the perfect pass for the assist to which player for the shot that wins the game? I think I know.

 

[Bigboote]

This is Crystal’s team. Get the ball in her hands. If she has a shot, she’ll take it, if not, she’s likely to make a good decision.