Who will be Geno’s starting point guard in the NCAA tournament?

[Alydar]

In bold is pure nonsense. Are you saying the other 4 would be playing PG but if Nika starts they all have to play elsewhere??? I don't get it.

Simple. If Muhl is the starting pg then Bueckers moves to the 2, Fudd to the 3, Griffin to the 4 and Edwards to the five. Muhl is the only one of the five at her best position. I have serious reservations about Griffin & Edwards guarding the starting posts of SCar or UCLA, to name just two schools.

UConn needs a post a lot more than they need a second pg.

 

[ballerfan]

To you it clearly makes no sense, to others it does. There is no other player on this team that holds any Uconn single season records, Nika has atleast three. There is no other player that has been the BE DPOY once, Nika has been back to back. No other player on this team has started more games than Nika. It's a given that a healthy Paige is an overall better player than any one on the team and arguably the best option at the 1, 2 or 3 if the measure is pure talent. Paige is significantly better than either Caroline or Aubrey at the three than she is Nika at the one in the context of this team. Paige has outperformed both Caroline and Aubrey in terms of scoring. It is arguably true that she may be better than Nika at racking up assists, defense, pushing pace and in her constant motor but that hasn't been demonstrated as of yet.

This team has several great scoring options but has only two great passing options. To have Paige as the only great passer thus effectively reducing her scoring potential rather than have two great passers on the floor and effectively increasing Paige's scoring potential in a fast paced motion offense, makes little sense. You want to maximize your best potential and Nika demonstrated this past season that she does what she does best better than either Caroline or Aubrey performed at a level of what they do best. She was clearly more valuable to the teams success than either of them and until they prove otherwise she is the best option among them to start.

Nika's talents lend themselves to how we want to play this season. On the offensive end we want to to have a fast moving motion offense, on the defensive end we want to apply constant pressure on the opponent not allowing them to quickly get into or run their sets while hopefully turning them over at a significant rate allowing us to get transition baskets. With the roster we have it appears we have the talent to play this kind of game. If all works as hoped, we should be able to control the tempo of the game on both ends while using significantly more effective substituting to allow us to do that. Nika is literally tailor-made to serve our needs to push pace in a fast paced motion offense and to be the head of the snake on a pressure defense. Establishing how the game will be played needs to happen from the opening tip. Nika is clearly the better person among the three of Caroline, Aubrey and herself to do this and that is why she should start.

I want Nika to start at pg, but I also want to be honest. The only reason why Nika had more assists than Paige is that Paige shot and scored a lot and Nika didn’t. It’s debatable whether Nika is a better defender even though Nika did win an award. Geno said Paige is faster than Nika. Do you doubt that Paige, with her talent, could push the ball up the court more quickly? Should we have a discussion about whether pushing the ball up the court quickly is always a good strategy or the only good strategy? This, I think, is the best part of your post: « You want to maximize your best potential and Nika demonstrated this past season that she does what she does best better than either Caroline or Aubrey performed at a level of what they do best. »

 

[oldhusky]

Both Bueckers and Griffin are faster down the court than Muhl. When Griffin was out Geno said that Bueckers won all the races but that Griffin was the fastest. Muhl's name wasn't even mentioned.

It's fine to love Muhl and want her to succeed but your devotion to Muhl is disrespectful to the unworldly talents of Bueckers & Fudd and to other UConn players. Muhl would be the starting pg on about every team in the country, except the team that Bueckers is on. When she did start with Bueckers at the 2 Geno said it was because her passing was being wasted on mediocre shooters. That is not the situation going into 2024. There are multiple scoring targets for Bueckers to pass to. Muhl is an amazing player and proved it when both starting guards were injured and unable to play. Now those starting guards are healthy and both of them are NPOY candidates.
Geno will start the five who give the team the most versatility. Three guards is not only redundant, it forces other players to be placed at positions not best suited to their skills. Griffin is a 3 who is a better 2 than a 4. The only reason you want to start Muhl as a third guard is an emotional one. If either Fudd or Bueckers were unavailable then Muhl is a marvelously talented pg to have but healthy, Bueckers and Fudd can handle everything, especially scoring, which is the hole in Muhl's offensive game.

Both Bueckers and Griffin are faster down the court than Muhl. When Griffin was out Geno said that Bueckers won all the races but that Griffin was the fastest. Muhl's name wasn't even mentioned.

It's fine to love Muhl and want her to succeed but your devotion to Muhl is disrespectful to the unworldly talents of Bueckers & Fudd and to other UConn players. Muhl would be the starting pg on about every team in the country, except the team that Bueckers is on. When she did start with Bueckers at the 2 Geno said it was because her passing was being wasted on mediocre shooters. That is not the situation going into 2024. There are multiple scoring targets for Bueckers to pass to. Muhl is an amazing player and proved it when both starting guards were injured and unable to play. Now those starting guards are healthy and both of them are NPOY candidates.
Geno will start the five who give the team the most versatility. Three guards is not only redundant, it forces other players to be placed at positions not best suited to their skills. Griffin is a 3 who is a better 2 than a 4. The only reason you want to start Muhl as a third guard is an emotional one. If either Fudd or Bueckers were unavailable then Muhl is a marvelously talented pg to have but healthy, Bueckers and Fudd can handle everything, especially scoring, which is the hole in Muhl's offensive game.

This is not a foot race, I will give you that if you think that is the main point which I don't. I am pointing out that Nika is the only one that pushes the ball up the floor "with the dribble". Could Paige do it? Probably but that is not the way she has played in the past. The pace of the team statistically measured was considerably faster last year with Nika running the point, and in fact Uconn was not a fast paced team in Paige's first two years.

As for disrespectful to the talents of Paige and Azzi, I don't know where you get that from. I am not comparing Nika as an overall player to Paige or Azzi. She is not in their league, I know that, so what. To me rightly or wrongly this whole issue is a two part question. The very first question is who should be the three players at 1-3. Two of those are completely obvious, Paige and Azzi, there is no debate there. But the third is likely to come from Nika, Caroline or Aubrey.

If the best choice there is Caroline then Paige should be the PG, and the same if Aubrey is the best third choice. But if Nika is the best compliment to Paige and Azzi then I think she should be the PG. I believe Geno has already determined that if Nika and Paige are on the court together Nika should be the PG. He didn't start that way with both of them but ultimately reached that conclusion, and it probably had nothing to do with who was the best PG. It was because Paige could be equally as good as a SG, and probably as a SF as well, and Nika off the ball is a far less valuable player.

It is because of Paige's greatness and versatility, and that Nika is much better at one position, that if both are in, Nika should be the point. I understand that many disagree, but I believe Geno picking Nika as the point when both are in is already an answered question. Whether Nika is the third guard starter, however, is much more debatable. A strong case could be made for Caroline or Aubrey, and let me be clear of course Paige should be the starting PG if that is the case.

The important question for Geno is Nika, Caroline or Aubrey. That is the main determining decision as to who starts at PG, not the Paige vs. Nika debate IMO.

 

[Alydar]

Just for the record I have never indicated who I see as the fifth starter. I have said repeatedly Paige, Azzi, Nika, Aaliyah and whomever is the fifth starter.

My preference would be Jana or Ice if one of them earns that spot. I certainly wouldn’t favor, and never indicated that I would, want to see Aaliyah move regularly from the four to the five. I see Carolina primarily rotating in at the three and Aubrey doing do at the the three, four.

Perhaps you are mixing me up with another posters assumed stated starting lineup. So actually Paige at the three would be the only one not at their natural position ( although I don’t actually believe that that is necessarily true as I, as have others hsve indicated, she is would be equally great at the one-three) if Nika starts.

You make a good case for a post over Griffin. I made a good case for Bueckers over Muhl.

We both agree about Bueckers Fudd and Edwards. If the 4th is a post then we have to decide who the 5th player will be. Muhl and Griffin are two to be considered. A healthy Ducharme is another. Which of those three? How do we decide? Of the three Ducharme offers a combination of size along with inside and outside shooting. Griffin offers unique athleticism which she turns into outstanding defense and rebounding. She's also the fastest player on the team (per Geno). Muhl also is a great defender and is a great pg.
Which adds the most? Unfortunately for Muhl, Bueckers is better at every pg skill and adds height and consistent scoring. I say Griffin adds more.

And no one so far has refuted my claim that rotating 3 guards in 2 positions not only keeps all 3 fresh but it avoids having to bring in untested freshmen as subs, especially in big games. To me, this is all about Muhl not starting being seen as an insult to what she did last year. It isn't.

I'll wager (with the right odds) that Muhl will go to Geno and tell him that the team will be better if she comes off the bench. And some fans will still say "poor Nika, no respect".

 

[Alydar]

This is not a foot race, I will give you that if you think that is the main point which I don't. I am pointing out that Nika is the only one that pushes the ball up the floor "with the dribble". Could Paige do it? Probably but that is not the way she has played in the past. The pace of the team statistically measured was considerably faster last year with Nika running the point, and in fact Uconn was not a fast paced team in Paige's first two years.

As for disrespectful to the talents of Paige and Azzi, I don't know where you get that from. I am not comparing Nika as an overall player to Paige or Azzi. She is not in their league, I know that, so what. To me rightly or wrongly this whole issue is a two part question. The very first question is who should be the three players at 1-3. Two of those are completely obvious, Paige and Azzi, there is no debate there. But the third is likely to come from Nika, Caroline or Aubrey.

If the best choice there is Caroline then Paige should be the PG, and the same if Aubrey is the best third choice. But if Nika is the best compliment to Paige and Azzi then I think she should be the PG. I believe Geno has already determined that if Nika and Paige are on the court together Nika should be the PG. He didn't start that way with both of them but ultimately reached that conclusion, and it probably had nothing to do with who was the best PG. It was because Paige could be equally as good as a SG, and probably as a SF as well, and Nika off the ball is a far less valuable player.

It is because of Paige's greatness and versatility, and that Nika is much better at one position, that if both are in, Nika should be the point. I understand that many disagree, but I believe Geno picking Nika as the point when both are in is already an answered question. Whether Nika is the third guard starter, however, is much more debatable. A strong case could be made for Caroline or Aubrey, and let me be clear of course Paige should be the starting PG if that is the case.

The important question for Geno is Nika, Caroline or Aubrey. That is the main determining decision as to who starts at PG, not the Paige vs. Nika debate IMO.

if Nika and Paige are on the court together Nika should be the PG.

Should? If Muhl and any other team member are on the court together she HAS to be the pg. If she can become a 40% catch and shoot 3pt shooter then everything changes but so far she is a spot up, square up, no one within 8 feet type of 3pt shooter, like Griffin, except Griffin adds inside skills that Bueckers will exploit.

The very first question is who should be the three players at 1-3.

You don't start with 1-3. You start with Fudd, Bueckers and Edwards. If we disagree on those three there's no reason to continue. Using traditional positions that gives you a pg, a sg, and a pf. They are the rocks this team will anchor itself to and they SHOULD be at their best positions. Under normal conditions the missing position players are a post and a sf. Both of those positions call for size.

If you are drafting a pro BB team and you have the first 2 picks you don't pick 2 pg's because one of them is going to be a backup. That's just the way it is.

 

[Cuango]

In her first two seasons, Nika was a role player and a defensive specialist. Just another cog on the team. Last season, Nika became the indispensable player. The personality of the team, the shape of its attack on O and D, was determined by her. When she went down with an injury, the team looked lost. When she returned, the team regained its composure.

This is the quality Geno will want from her. Perhaps it’ll be enough to have this quality coming off the bench. But I suspect Geno will want Nika to set the tone at the beginning of every game.

Last season Paige was sitting on the bench. Do you believe if she had been healthy, Nika would have been the indispensable player? Anyway, I think there’s an argument to be made that Aaliyah and Lou were also indispensable players last season!

I think it’s pretty clear that Paige, Azzi, Aaliyah, and one of
Nika, Aubrey, and Caroline (most likely) for the fifth starter. I personally believe it will be Aubrey or Caroline because I think they complete a better matched five than Nika does. Nika, whoever does not start between CD and Aubrey and Ice and Jana would be first off the bench.

Although I must admit I won’t be totally shocked if Nika starts, certainly for certain matchups. I just don’t think she makes the most sense. (no, I don’t think I’m smarter than Geno) She is the perfect weapon to come off the bench and change the flow of the game. I would also expect that CD and Aubrey may be switched around strategically as well. (I see Aubrey as being, like Nika, another perfect weapon off the bench to shake up the flow of the game).

The bottom line is, this team (healthy) has so much talent, at every position, that Geno must be walking around with a constant smile on his face! I just pray everyone can stay healthy! I’m gearing up to tell my wife we may have to spend (Whatever it takes, within reason) some extra $ starting in November so I can watch this special team. I just hope I can find a way to do it!

Imagine how lucky we are to be able to legitimately debate the starting lineup of our team! Not many fan bases can say that, or if they do, it might be one position. Most teams have a pretty clear lineup that is not open for debate. This team, for all our interminable arguments here on the Boneyard, clearly has multiple possible starting lineups, all of which would be one of the top 3 or 4 teams in the nation.

 

[Alydar]

This is not a foot race, I will give you that if you think that is the main point which I don't. I am pointing out that Nika is the only one that pushes the ball up the floor "with the dribble". Could Paige do it? Probably but that is not the way she has played in the past. The pace of the team statistically measured was considerably faster last year with Nika running the point, and in fact Uconn was not a fast paced team in Paige's first two years.

As for disrespectful to the talents of Paige and Azzi, I don't know where you get that from. I am not comparing Nika as an overall player to Paige or Azzi. She is not in their league, I know that, so what. To me rightly or wrongly this whole issue is a two part question. The very first question is who should be the three players at 1-3. Two of those are completely obvious, Paige and Azzi, there is no debate there. But the third is likely to come from Nika, Caroline or Aubrey.

If the best choice there is Caroline then Paige should be the PG, and the same if Aubrey is the best third choice. But if Nika is the best compliment to Paige and Azzi then I think she should be the PG. I believe Geno has already determined that if Nika and Paige are on the court together Nika should be the PG. He didn't start that way with both of them but ultimately reached that conclusion, and it probably had nothing to do with who was the best PG. It was because Paige could be equally as good as a SG, and probably as a SF as well, and Nika off the ball is a far less valuable player.

It is because of Paige's greatness and versatility, and that Nika is much better at one position, that if both are in, Nika should be the point. I understand that many disagree, but I believe Geno picking Nika as the point when both are in is already an answered question. Whether Nika is the third guard starter, however, is much more debatable. A strong case could be made for Caroline or Aubrey, and let me be clear of course Paige should be the starting PG if that is the case.

The important question for Geno is Nika, Caroline or Aubrey. That is the main determining decision as to who starts at PG, not the Paige vs. Nika debate IMO.

This is not a foot race, I will give you that if you think that is the main point which I don't. I am pointing out that Nika is the only one that pushes the ball up the floor "with the dribble". Could Paige do it? Probably but that is not the way she has played in the past. The pace of the team statistically measured was considerably faster last year with Nika running the point, and in fact Uconn was not a fast paced team in Paige's first two years.

How UConn played in Bueckers' 1st 2 years is not comparable to last year. As a freshman, Bueckers had Williams and Westbrook as scoring targets and she missed half of last season. Last season, Muhl had Senechal and Edwards. Those 2 were 60% shooters. Senechal was close to 50% from 3 for much of the season. The first 2 weren't close.

I've watched Bueckers' complete game videos going back to the 8th grade when she made the MInn HS all-tournament team. As good as Muhl is at the point, (and she is great), Bueckers is unworldly. And she makes life easier for the other 4 players because she draws defenders towards her due to her amazingly efficient array of offensive weapons and that leaves her team mates with a lot of easy looks. With Muhl at pg those players will get more defensive attention and get fewer good looks.
There are just no end to the reasons Bueckers is the right choice to start at pg.

 

[SJF]

KK nuff said.

 

[Geesworld]

This is not a foot race, I will give you that if you think that is the main point which I don't. I am pointing out that Nika is the only one that pushes the ball up the floor "with the dribble". Could Paige do it? Probably but that is not the way she has played in the past. The pace of the team statistically measured was considerably faster last year with Nika running the point, and in fact Uconn was not a fast paced team in Paige's first two years.

How UConn played in Bueckers' 1st 2 years is not comparable to last year. As a freshman, Bueckers had Williams and Westbrook as scoring targets and she missed half of last season. Last season, Muhl had Senechal and Edwards. Those 2 were 60% shooters. Senechal was close to 50% from 3 for much of the season. The first 2 weren't close.

I've watched Bueckers' complete game videos going back to the 8th grade when she made the MInn HS all-tournament team. As good as Muhl is at the point, (and she is great), Bueckers is unworldly. And she makes life easier for the other 4 players because she draws defenders towards her due to her amazingly efficient array of offensive weapons and that leaves her team mates with a lot of easy looks. With Muhl at pg those players will get more defensive attention and get fewer good looks.
There are just no end to the reasons Bueckers is the right choice to start at pg.

You're absolutely right, Paige does draw a lot of attention. I think that is why she played off ball a lot in high school. considering she had others who could handle the ball on her team. I think she strives more in the combo category then in primary ball handler.

 

[Bone Dog]

Last season Paige was sitting on the bench. Do you believe if she had been healthy, Nika would have been the indispensable player?

Yes, I do, and no. Obviously, the team wouldn’t have wilted if Nika had to miss a couple games, as it did against Princeton and Maryland. But these what-ifs are not as informative as we’d like them to be. I think Nika would have started last season next to Paige and Azzi, Aaliyah and Dorka. Lou and Caroline and Aubrey would have come off the bench. Geno said as much in his remarks about Lou’s prospective playing time before Paige’s injury. There are two reasons for thinking as I do.

1. Geno liked having Nika on the floor even as a freshman because the team played with better energy. This is what seems to be overlooked in all these statistical analyses of Nika’s shortcomings, that she changes the energy of the team. A team is more than just a summation of stats.

2. Nika met the moment last season. The team needed her and she stepped up. Paige’s injury doesn’t diminish the significance of this fact, it underlines it. And with Paige and Azzi back, the moment will be that much bigger. It’s not like she’s going to play worse with a better cast around her.

What I saw last season is that the various circumstances that prevented Geno from being able to rely on Nika to run the team disappeared. She improved her scoring and passing, took a vocal leading role, and maintained her defensive intensity, all while keeping the fouls under control.

Of course, Paige and Azzi will be the stars of the team. But everyone will play better because of the attention they receive, and Nika will be instrumental in this.

And a side note: folks have worried too much about the new post players not having enough minutes to share. This is important, obviously. But the minutes they do get will be better for the same reason, because Paige and Azzi will take the pressure off them. Even Amari will benefit from this effect and may have her breakout season.

 

[Alydar]

You're absolutely right, Paige does draw a lot of attention. I think that is why she played off ball a lot in high school. considering she had others who could handle the ball on her team. I think she strives more in the combo category then in primary ball handler.

She averaged 10 assists a game in her last 2 years in HS. That's not from playing off the ball. She may not have always brought the ball up court but she ran the offense.

 

[BattersonB]

Assuming all of the poll candidates are healthy, who will be Geno’s starting point guard in the NCAA tournament in 2024?

I don’t think it matters, other than providing folks with something to talk about. If Paige is completely healthy she will be in the line up somewhere. Also, assuming everyone is healthy, it will give Geno options for match ups. Big line ups vs smaller line ups where he would use a 3-guard offense. If UCONN goes back to using their full-court press more often, then he’ll be shuffling in and rotating in & out, and we won’t players all bent-over on the court from fatigue.

 

[BattersonB]

I can see this thread being mildly different, but because Caroline enters the season with far more health questions than Nika, and KK is unproven. I think it will be Nika to start and finish the season because if Geno lets her team with Azzi and Paige I expect great things, and there will be little reason to look for another combination, if it aint broke, don't fix it.

Nika is the incumbent and a senior, comparing her to potentially Caroline or KK, the potential third guard starter that would result in Paige being the starting PG. Neither of those factors insures she will start if she is clearly beaten out by one of those players, but given Caroline's health issues and KK's lack of game experience, the burden of proof is on them to show at some point they are better. If it is close Geno probably stays with what I think he will start with, namely Nika, but over the course of the season could somebody pass her, sure but I think that player will have to be truly great, not very good, because the starters with Nika and a healthy Azzi and Paige should be so good that tweaking that lineup won't seem to make sense.

Nika will get her minutes, unless injured. That’s not to say that if the two freshmen really catch on to the offense and play great defense that their play might cut into some of SOMEBODY’S minutes. Nika is a great ball handler but didn’t have much help last season. Ines arrrived just as school was starting so she didn’t have the summer to work out with the team and learn the system. That’s probably why she wasn’t seen anymore than what we saw. This year should be different.

 

[Ozimoto]

In the Genoisms thread there is reference and link to an ESPN article from 2004 about Maria Conlon. Interesting read in the context of this discussion.

 

[BattersonB]

I love this post!! Pertaining specifically to the NCAA Tourney, is if Arnold is going to start in NCAA's then something has gone terribly wrong but as you say Muhl will start by playoff time and you never said KK would start at playoffs. I think it would be a disaster and yet 3.2% voted for her/ so they think so. And as bballf implies similarly, Nika has the experience of a senior. In other words, an implication of "less mistakes." Unless someone thinks she is a mistake driven player and looks to use one basketball game as a case in point or disregard the minutes she had to play with a depleted lineup then imo it's a shallow argument. Anyhow, this team has "home run hitters."

My expectation is that UCONN is going to be undefeated IF they are healthy going into the Tourney. I'd bet a large pizza on that but there are too many caveats to make that a viable bet., But if this were to happen, and we have a strong idea that Nika will start as pg to begin the season, if they go undefeated, are they really going to pull Nika from the starting lineup? OFC its possible and she could be tanking at end of season too, but highly doubtful. But with that said, Geno has had guards start a game only to be replaced quickly if needed early on such as Caroline Doty in 2012-2013 season. He still started her. He even pulled her after 3 minutes in the FF, and two games before that in the S16. And only played 13 minutes in the E8 and Finals.

And anyone suggesting Paige isn't being utilized at her fullest if you play her only as a pg is flat out wrong. Paige's strength is her versatility. She can play the pg and Wing seamlessly. If she is a Wing it's only in "name only." She is also "THE PG." It doesn’t mean others can't contribute being a PG or a Wing and only Paige is IT.

Adn as for Nika - she is so disrespected here. Anyone suggesting KK Arnold is going to beat her out of the starting spot must believe Nika is going to totally collapse. Let’s remind anyone what Caitlyn Clark said during the game about Nika this year in which Nika was defending- regading Clark's comments to start the 4th quarter; To paraphrase: Let's let the below coment but especially the capitalized bold words sink in from last' year's best player in wcbb. After all it’s so easy when you are so athletic to defend that even South Carolina can do it? – ummm Ohhhh that’s right. umm that's not true . . .


"Someone get this kid out of my face. . . I NEED HELP!!!!"

Great points. First, when reading other people’s views, it’s best to determine if they are a fan(attic) or a Student of The Game. It gives you a better understanding of their thought processes.

Right now, everyone is blowing SMOKE…just to have something to talk about for the next few months. UCONN has often had multiple point guards playing at the same time. Even recently, Chrystyn, Paige, and Evina….all three could bring the ball up court and run the offense. Renee & Swantier, DT & Sue, and other times. So, I’m sure we’ll see offensive sets where Geno will go small with a 3-Guard line up, and other times where it maybe two with 3-Bigs. Plus having wing players who can also handle the ball makes the versatility even more expansive.

At this juncture of our world of fantasy, I’m not concerned about the Guards…not even the freshmen coming in nor Ines, I’m more concerned about our front court. The only known factor is Edwards. As much as Ice Brady was heralded coming out of high school, we have still yet to see her play. The same with Jana. We should expect a vast improvement this year from Caroline. Last yr she spent the offseason having hip surgery and then recovering. So, she had no summer workouts, no strength & conditioning, and it showed during the season. Aubrey, if her back holds up, should be a major factor in our team’s success….and that is a big IF. The other unknowns are: 1) We saw Patterson’s potential last yr. Has she worked to hone her skills to get to a level where she gets more playing time, and 2) Amari - Many of us have been waiting for her to break out and have some outstanding moments on the court, but they have been few & far between when she’s had the opportunity. If they both worked hard this off season and have improved so much that Geno has to find minutes for them, then we will definitely be cutting down the nets next March. Jmo

 

[Bone Dog]

She’s not a PG, but I am reminded of a feature of Caroline’s game that stats never capture.

Freshman year she beat DePaul with a last second bucket that she entirely manufactured on her own. A freshman did that.

The following year, hampered by injury, she didn’t have any quite so dramatic opportunities. But she often saved the team with important shot-clock-beating buckets.

Caroline’s production (and stats) hasn’t quite caught up with her potential. But what she does under heavy pressure suggests a greatness that will emerge if her health permits. Geno knows it and this is why he wants her on the floor in the important moments.

 

[Skeets]

She’s not a PG, but I am reminded of a feature of Caroline’s game that stats never capture.

Freshman year she beat DePaul with a last second bucket that she entirely manufactured on her own. A freshman did that.

The following year, hampered by injury, she didn’t have any quite so dramatic opportunities. But she often saved the team with important shot-clock-beating buckets.

Caroline’s production (and stats) hasn’t quite caught up with her potential. But what she does under heavy pressure suggests a greatness that will emerge if her health permits. Geno knows it and this is why he wants her on the floor in the important moments.

Caroline could very well be the 5th starter if/when Geno decides to go with a small lineup. Otherwise she's soon off the bench. One skill Caroline needs to work on, she needs to learn to duck.

 

[BattersonB]

She’s not a PG, but I am reminded of a feature of Caroline’s game that stats never capture.

Freshman year she beat DePaul with a last second bucket that she entirely manufactured on her own. A freshman did that.

The following year, hampered by injury, she didn’t have any quite so dramatic opportunities. But she often saved the team with important shot-clock-beating buckets.

Caroline’s production (and stats) hasn’t quite caught up with her potential. But what she does under heavy pressure suggests a greatness that will emerge if her health permits. Geno knows it and this is why he wants her on the floor in the important moments.

Caroline is a very capable ball handler, and freshman year she was used a number of times to bring the ball up court. When you have multiple good ball handlers on the court it makes it easier getting the ball up court and running your plays because you can decide who’s bring it up by the play you’re about to run, and you’re better able to break presses put on your team by opposing teams.

Caroline is definitely a smart skilled player. I loved watching her freshman yr. Last yr, we got what we could from her….I can only imagine how much better she would have been freshman yr if she wasn’t playing with that nagging hip pain. Then, she had off season hip surgery, which kept her out of much of the strength & conditioning workouts and summer workouts with the team. So, she started the season pretty like Ines who arrived as the fall semester was starting with no prep time. Both played about as well as could be expected, and I expect a fully recouperated Caroline who has had from March to the fall to workout, condition her body, go through Summer workouts, and work individually on her game to be a lot better and a lot more effective than freshman Caroline was….Time for the Pep Band to rehearse “Sweet Caroline” because they’ll need to play it many times this season. Ines will improve markedly as well. Having the entire off season strength & conditioning her body, working on her game, summer team workouts, and better understanding the offense will all work well in her favor this fall.

 

[#12in21]

Muhl beat Bueckers' 14 assist record with 15, beating her by 1. When Bueckers had 14 assists in a game she also scored 20 points and that is why Muhl is redundant. Bueckers can lead the team in both scoring and assists while Muhl can't.

I am in no way discounting Paige's accomplishments and potential, but It should be recognized that Nika's accomplishment was not a one off with her 15 assist game. Of those that had the 8 highest individual assist games , Nika is four of them - no-one else appears on that list twice. Nika was also two of the ten players who had 12 assist games. In regards to their ability to impact the game with assists, no-one in Uconn wcbb history has come close to what Nika did this past year. She is unique in what she was able to accomplish and the offensive impact she had and potentially could have in the future shouldn't be discounted. She gets no assists while watching from the bench.

Single Game

Rk	Player	Assists	Season	Opponent
1	Nika Mühl	15	2022–23	NC State
2	Paige Bueckers	14	2020–21	Butler
	Nika Mühl	14	2022–23	Tennessee
4	Susie Sturman	13	1979–80	Vermont
	Laura Lishness	13	1990–91	Seton Hall
	Renee Montgomery	13	2008–09	Oklahoma
	Nika Mühl	13	2022–23	Iowa
	Nika Mühl	13	2022–23	Seton Hall
9	10 times by 8 different players	12	No information on players or dates

 

[ballerfan]

I am in no way discounting Paige's accomplishments and potential, but It should be recognized that Nika's accomplishment was not a one off with her 15 assist game. Of those that had the 8 highest individual assist games , Nika is four of them - no-one else appears on that list twice. Nika was also two of the ten players who had 12 assist games. In regards to their ability to impact the game with assists, no-one in Uconn wcbb history has come close to what Nika did this past year. She is unique in what she was able to accomplish and the offensive impact she had and potentially could have in the future shouldn't be discounted. She gets no assists while watching from the bench.

Single Game

Rk	Player	Assists	Season	Opponent
1	Nika Mühl	15	2022–23	NC State
2	Paige Bueckers	14	2020–21	Butler
	Nika Mühl	14	2022–23	Tennessee
4	Susie Sturman	13	1979–80	Vermont
	Laura Lishness	13	1990–91	Seton Hall
	Renee Montgomery	13	2008–09	Oklahoma
	Nika Mühl	13	2022–23	Iowa
	Nika Mühl	13	2022–23	Seton Hall
9	10 times by 8 different players	12	No information on players or dates

Nika is great, and these numbers help define why a lot of us believe she should start as the pg. But the numbers are also misleading. Nika doesn’t shoot and score much. When she had 15 assists, she was only 1 for 3 from the floor for 3 points. Not shooting gave her a lot of opportunities for assists. Paige, on the other hand, was getting a lot of assists and scoring 20 points. Paige was involved in a lot more points, from scoring and assists, than Nika.

So when you say that no one in UConn WCBB history has come close to what Nika did this past year, you might be right if you are referring to this combination of high assists and low scoring. This doesn’t make Nika a better pg in UConn history than Sue Bird. Or Paige. Ask Paige to shoot just three times in a game and see how many assists she would get.

 

[Bone Dog]

I am in no way discounting Paige's accomplishments and potential, but It should be recognized that Nika's accomplishment was not a one off with her 15 assist game. Of those that had the 8 highest individual assist games , Nika is four of them - no-one else appears on that list twice. Nika was also two of the ten players who had 12 assist games. In regards to their ability to impact the game with assists, no-one in Uconn wcbb history has come close to what Nika did this past year. She is unique in what she was able to accomplish and the offensive impact she had and potentially could have in the future shouldn't be discounted. She gets no assists while watching from the bench.

Single Game

Rk	Player	Assists	Season	Opponent
1	Nika Mühl	15	2022–23	NC State
2	Paige Bueckers	14	2020–21	Butler
	Nika Mühl	14	2022–23	Tennessee
4	Susie Sturman	13	1979–80	Vermont
	Laura Lishness	13	1990–91	Seton Hall
	Renee Montgomery	13	2008–09	Oklahoma
	Nika Mühl	13	2022–23	Iowa
	Nika Mühl	13	2022–23	Seton Hall
9	10 times by 8 different players	12	No information on players or dates

Read the right hand column. Paige's 14 assists came against Butler. Nika's big assist games came against NC St, Tennessee and Iowa.

I'm not trying to criticize Paige. It's just that assists are not the most important part of her game. She is and always has been the bucket-getter, as Monica McNutt calls her. This is what she brings, and it gives the team confidence, courage, reassurance, etc. In the toughest moments, they all know Paige will get the bucket. She is a great passer, one of the best the game has ever known. But her passes often do a different kind of work than merely generating assists. They set things in motion, they move the defense, they realign the team.

 

[ballerfan]

Read the right hand column. Paige's 14 assists came against Butler. Nika's big assist games came against NC St, Tennessee and Iowa.

I'm not trying to criticize Paige. It's just that assists are not the most important part of her game. She is and always has been the bucket-getter, as Monica McNutt calls her. This is what she brings, and it gives the team confidence, courage, reassurance, etc. In the toughest moments, they all know Paige will get the bucket. She is a great passer, one of the best the game has ever known. But her passes often do a different kind of work than merely generating assists. They set things in motion, they move the defense, they realign the team.

I agree with you.

Stats are useful only in context. Paige had 14 against Butler, Nika 15 against NC St. Then again, Paige scored 20 points, Nika 3. Nika was passing the ball to Azzi, who had 32 points, and Lou, with 20. Paige was passing to which players her freshman year? Imagine a backcourt of Paige Azzi Lou.

If Nika makes another jump this year and becomes a better scorer, she might, I think, be the starting pg the entire season. I want this to happen. But Nika is not going to be the starting pg because she’s better at assists than Paige. She will be the starting pg because she’s the better complement to Paige and Azzi than other players.

 

[ballerfan]

So the asst coach thread got shut down but this Muhl bashing thread continues on?

Who is bashing Nika? I want her to be the starting pg. Is anything but 100 percent « Nika is great » considered Nika bashing? This is my last post on this thread.

 

[hoophuskee]

I agree with you.

Stats are useful only in context. Paige had 14 against Butler, Nika 15 against NC St. Then again, Paige scored 20 points, Nika 3. Nika was passing the ball to Azzi, who had 32 points, and Lou, with 20. Paige was passing to which players her freshman year? Imagine a backcourt of Paige Azzi Lou.

If Nika makes another jump this year and becomes a better scorer, she might, I think, be the starting pg the entire season. I want this to happen. But Nika is not going to be the starting pg because she’s better at assists than Paige. She will be the starting pg because she’s the better complement to Paige and Azzi than other players.

Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No way is she the better player than Paige at being the pg. And because Nika is "the pg" --- it's in "name only." IMO there is a massive misconception of what Nika is/will be when she plays with Paige. It's almost as if because on the BY we call Nika the pg it means that Paige isn't also the PG and ofc the leader. Just because Nika brings the ball up the court it doesn’t mean Paige isn't the leader. That's like saying Maria Conlon ran the Offense back in 2003-/2004 and that she was the leader and not Taurasi. Maria Conlon was the pg but Diana ran the Offense. You can run an Offense even if you are the main scorer and don't dribble as much.

 

[Geesworld]

She averaged 10 assists a game in her last 2 years in HS. That's not from playing off the ball. She may not have always brought the ball up court but she ran the offense.

Not hard to play off ball and get assist on those teams. Plenty All Americans and D1 talent Her teams She played more on ball her 8th 9th grade seasons than she did 10 thru 12 grade. They were a heavy press team and she didn't always play top of press.

 

[Mandoo]

Same as to begin the year, Paige and Nika. The mistake everyone makes is thinking there can only be one starting point guard.

Seems to me that having a pg that can shoot and score is the answer. When Nika would not shoot, opponents would slough off on her and double team somebody else, like Azzi. We don't know if KK can be a press breaker, but if she can, opponents will have to go one on one and nobody gets doubled. Nika may realize she has to shoot more but she is not a great shooter and that spells trouble. Let's also not forget Ashlynn, either. I see a very promising future for her, she's solid at all points on the court.

 

[Alydar]

Read the right hand column. Paige's 14 assists came against Butler. Nika's big assist games came against NC St, Tennessee and Iowa.

I'm not trying to criticize Paige. It's just that assists are not the most important part of her game. She is and always has been the bucket-getter, as Monica McNutt calls her. This is what she brings, and it gives the team confidence, courage, reassurance, etc. In the toughest moments, they all know Paige will get the bucket. She is a great passer, one of the best the game has ever known. But her passes often do a different kind of work than merely generating assists. They set things in motion, they move the defense, they realign the team.

It's just that assists are not the most important part of her game.

I couldn't disagree more. The fact that there is an ocean of distance between Bueckers and Muhl's scoring doesn't change the fact that Bueckers is a pg who is a better distributor than she is a scorer. Her ability to score forces defenses to close on her and she uses that to find team mates wide open. The "outside scorers" that pg Bueckers had as targets as a freshman were Muhl, Williams and Westbrook. Last season, even with Bueckers and Fudd missing, Muhl was feeding Edwards and Senechal who both were high% shooters.
There are all sorts of factors that were in play last season. Muhl's assist numbers were high because until Fudd returned Muhl was the only guard on the team and had the ball in her hands a lot. She had a huge amount of pressure on her and came through with her best season. But I doubt her assist numbers will be as high while team assists will be up.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

The Nika naysayers still are missing the one important point that will make her the starting PG.........GENO WANTS HER TO START AND PLAY THE PG POSITION!
Nothing they say will take precedence over Geno's belief!
As long as Nika is healthy, she'll start!

 

[sun]

I think that it's important to consider what Paige wants & what Paige thinks is best for her future in the WNBA.
Geno must give that some consideration in his mind too.
Perhaps similar to Hailey Van Lith, Paige wants the opportunity to be the primary PG so that she can prove that she can run an WNBA team as the primary ball handler.
That could increase her value, her visibility, her PG skills & maybe even her career longevity.
Maybe someday she'll be in the Oympics & sees herself as being the PG.
I remember when she said that she dreamed of passing the ball to Azzi to make the winning shot for a NC.
She had also bragged to Geno as a freshman about how she was best offensive player in the nation.
She's an alpha female on the court & Geno knows it.
She'll do anything for the team but if she wants to be the PG then I don't believe that Geno would want to deny her, especially if that's one of the reasons that she chose to attend UConn when she was recruited.
Sure she can play more than one position but she would still need to learn how to play PG well enough to lead her college team to a NC victory if that's what it takes to win it for herself, her teammates, Geno & her future.
Geno won't be able to say no, at least not for the majority of the time.

 

[Bald Husky]

The Nika naysayers still are missing the one important point that will make her the starting PG.........GENO WANTS HER TO START AND PLAY THE PG POSITION!
Nothing they say will take precedence over Geno's belief!
As long as Nika is healthy, she'll start!

Feeling better huh, aren't you supposed to be resting? Welcome back to normal. LOL