Who would have thought it

[browns]

Well with the regular season at an end Nika ended up with the best 3 point shooting percentage on the team.She shot .414% to Paige at .412%. This was a great achievement for her and she knew she had to improve from 3 point land and she did .Geno mentioned how hard she worked on it during the summer
Paige at .412 % is still terrific but as a poster pointed out in the last 11 games she has shot .288% from the 3 which isn't even average.For Uconn to advance past the S16 hopefully she'll get back to shooting the 3 at a fantastic .48% or higher.To her credit the other parts of her game haven't suffered at all

 

[Veteran]

Well with the regular season at an end Nika ended up with the best 3 point shooting percentage on the team.She shot .414% to Paige at .412%. This was a great achievement for her and she knew she had to improve from 3 point land and she did .Geno mentioned how hard she worked on it during the summer
Paige at .412 % is still terrific but as a poster pointed out in the last 11 games she has shot .288% from the 3 which isn't even average.For Uconn to advance past the S16 hopefully she'll get back to shooting the 3 at a fantastic .48% or higher.To her credit the other parts of her game haven't suffered at all

Nika's 3-point shooting percentage could be 10% and I'd still love her for all the fire and fury she brings to the team. And I bet Geno would agree. Just the way she reacted to the "non-foul" on Aaliyah the other day is a good example. I'd take Nika on my side in a bar fight on any day that ends in "Y".

That being said, it is pretty cool how well Nika shot 3 pointers this year.

 

[JellyBean]

Pretty awesome for Nika. She put in the work, like you mentioned, over the summer to improve her shooting and it has paid off. I am so proud of her and all that she has accomplished over the years at UConn.

 

[tchalla1]

Well with the regular season at an end Nika ended up with the best 3 point shooting percentage on the team.She shot .414% to Paige at .412%. This was a great achievement for her and she knew she had to improve from 3 point land and she did .Geno mentioned how hard she worked on it during the summer
Paige at .412 % is still terrific but as a poster pointed out in the last 11 games she has shot .288% from the 3 which isn't even average.For Uconn to advance past the S16 hopefully she'll get back to shooting the 3 at a fantastic .48% or higher.To her credit the other parts of her game haven't suffered at all

Good analysis on a very important aspect of UConn. Going into the tournament, there's going to be increased defense directed to Paige and Alliyah, and the only viability that we have is for others to make open shots and those concession opportunities that teams give our players. Thus far, Nika has done a tremendous job of hitting open 3s, she's shown her shooting abilities quite well.

I am hoping that Shade and KK will start doing this as well--Shade has gone into a slump of late but KK is starting to make good on her drives--wish she would use the glass more. I hope Geno will run some plays specifically for Shade--his philosophy of having Paige shoot every possession is not going to work against quality teams. I don't know why he doesn't understand that by now...

 

[maple]

I've said before that Nika's been my favorite current player since she came here freshman year. You can definitely see the improvement from then until now and her hard work has paid off greatly. This is the kind of dedication and development I long to see for every UConn player that ever steps into the gym. She is the epitome of a Husky. Very happy for her and very glad to have gotten to have her for all 4 years.

 

[Charliebball]

Your team's down by three points with six seconds left in the game. Who would you rather have shooting that final three Paige or Clark? Call me crazy but I'm taking Paige in that situation all day long........

 

[mauconnfan]

Well with the regular season at an end Nika ended up with the best 3 point shooting percentage on the team.She shot .414% to Paige at .412%. This was a great achievement for her and she knew she had to improve from 3 point land and she did .Geno mentioned how hard she worked on it during the summer
Paige at .412 % is still terrific but as a poster pointed out in the last 11 games she has shot .288% from the 3 which isn't even average.For Uconn to advance past the S16 hopefully she'll get back to shooting the 3 at a fantastic .48% or higher.To her credit the other parts of her game haven't suffered at all

Good for Nika but there’s no comparison. They’ll gladly let her shoot while they double and triple Paige all the time. .412% is very impressive with what’s thrown at her defensively by every team they face.

 

[RadfordRam]

Your team's down by three points with six seconds left in the game. Who would you rather have shooting that final three Paige or Clark? Call me crazy but I'm taking Paige in that situation all day long........

Love Paige, but out of those two it's easily Clark.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

Your team's down by three points with six seconds left in the game. Who would you rather have shooting that final three Paige or Clark? Call me crazy but I'm taking Paige in that situation all day long........

Paige would pass it so not her.

 

[Charliebball]

Paige would pass it so not her.

not if Geno was very, very insistent in the huddle......

 

[BBallF]

Nika now has all the skills to be a double digit scorer every game. Solid 3 point shooter, pull up jumper, scoop drive and good free throws. We have a contagious bout of "don't shoot enough" on this team. 10 shots a game from Nika would not alter the course of human history but it might alter this team's. Having said that, my family loves Nika like she is a member. We told her that after the Seton Hall game, and her response was the best hugs ever.

 

[#12in21]

Nika now has all the skills to be a double digit scorer every game. Solid 3 point shooter, pull up jumper, scoop drive and good free throws. We have a contagious bout of "don't shoot enough" on this team. 10 shots a game from Nika would not alter the course of human history but it might alter this team's. Having said that, my family loves Nika like she is a member. We told her that after the Seton Hall game, and her response was the best hugs ever.

I had a similar experience last season. She is always approachable, truly grateful and genuinely appreciative of fans. That is one other thing about her that is truly special!

 

[maccca3232]

Solid 3 point shooter, pull up jumper, scoop drive and good free throws.

This is just not true.

She shot 57% on only 14 attempts from the free throe line this season and made 66% for her career.

 

[BBallF]

This is just not true.

She shot 57% on only 14 attempts from the free throe line this season and made 66% for her career.

Ok I stand corrected. She just seems to make them when its is on the line.

 

[pvdoggy]

Not surprising that Nika has played the most minutes of anyone on the team as well.

 

[Huskee11]

I've said before that Nika's been my favorite current player since she came here freshman year. You can definitely see the improvement from then until now and her hard work has paid off greatly. This is the kind of dedication and development I long to see for every UConn player that ever steps into the gym. She is the epitome of a Husky. Very happy for her and very glad to have gotten to have her for all 4 years.

I am a huge Nika fan as well.

During that difficult 2020-2021 season when fans could not attend games and players on the sideline had to sit apart from each other with masks on, Nika introduced herself to us. We didn’t quite know what to make of her. She was dealing with a foot injury, it took her forever to finally make a three pointer, and she seemed to play kind of out of control. But she had a strong endorsement from Popovich, so there was that.

And then there was the scene of her on the bench, frustrated, in tears, while Geno appeared to be dismissive, and Kara Wolters was reveling in her caustic “there is no crying in basketball” shtick. All while the other first year point guard, Paige, was simply crushing it. Kara has since repented and jumped to the front of the Nika bandwagon, but at the time I think I was typical of many fans in just feeling for the kid and hoping that something good would come her way.

Well it wouldn’t take all that long before that would happen. For example, she had a stellar game at Marquette, and we caught a glimpse of her personality and her close relationship with Paige in that unforgettable “she’s my slime” postgame interview.

She has had good games, bad games, ups, downs, but always with her heart on her sleeve, never a dull moment. Her game has developed in a myriad of ways and she is now on the cusp of being the all-time assist leader at UConn. She has all the qualities you could want in a leader. Her interviews, and her interactions with fans and teammates, reveal a truly exceptional personality.

Wow, has it been fun watching her. I feel like she became Nika Muhl in front of our eyes. Maybe Popovich would say she was always there, it just took us a bit of time to catch on.

 

[PacoSwede]

Wow, has it been fun watching her. I feel like she became Nika Muhl in front of our eyes. Maybe Popovich would say she was always there, it just took us a bit of time to catch on.

ya can say that again.

the extent of the disses and put-downs she took from many BYers, some of whom persist, was bizarre and it is amazing how she lately has become a favorite of many here.

she certainly has earned this status.

but i wonder why others failed to grasp earlier her vital, though not-so-obvious, contributions to uconn. the intangibles. after she overcame her foot injury and a few months of adjustment to her new life as a freshman just arrived from croatia. it was clear that the huskies played their best when she was on the court, despite her shortcomings.

stats-wise she was not as productive as christyn or evina or liv or anna -- and obviously not paige. but they and others did better because of the fire and determination she demonstrated, and modeled. i imagine they appreciated her positive off-court approach as well.

of course, that was not clear to everybody not in the team's inner circle, including me. but that is my theory.

in any case, early on she was a major factor in huskies success, but it's taken a while for all to 'catch on.'

 

[browns]

ya can say that again.

the extent of the disses and put-downs she took from many BYers, some of whom persist, was bizarre and it is amazing how she lately has become a favorite of many here.

she certainly has earned this status.

but i wonder why others failed to grasp earlier her vital, though not-so-obvious, contributions to uconn. the intangibles. after she overcame her foot injury and a few months of adjustment to her new life as a freshman just arrived from croatia. it was clear that the huskies played their best when she was on the court, despite her shortcomings.

stats-wise she was not as productive as christyn or evina or liv or anna -- and obviously not paige. but they and others did better because of the fire and determination she demonstrated, and modeled. i imagine they appreciated her positive off-court approach as well.

of course, that was not clear to everybody not in the team's inner circle, including me. but that is my theory.

in any case, early on she was a major factor in huskies success, but it's taken a while for all to 'catch on.'

DT has always been my favorite player..The GOAT..but Nika is right up there being one of my favorites.you are so right bringing up all the posters that put her down..for 4 years she's been hearing she shouldn't be the starting point guard and look at all she's accompished.In the past people have said for different reasons that so and so should have their name on the wall even though they didn't make 1st team AA..well if anyone deserves that distinction without being an AA it is Nika Muhl !!

 

[Woof 101]

Well with the regular season at an end Nika ended up with the best 3 point shooting percentage on the team.She shot .414% to Paige at .412%. This was a great achievement for her and she knew she had to improve from 3 point land and she did .Geno mentioned how hard she worked on it during the summer
Paige at .412 % is still terrific but as a poster pointed out in the last 11 games she has shot .288% from the 3 which isn't even average.For Uconn to advance past the S16 hopefully she'll get back to shooting the 3 at a fantastic .48% or higher.To her credit the other parts of her game haven't suffered at all

2023-24 Women's Basketball Cumulative Statistics - University of Connecticut Athletics

The official 2023-24 Women's Basketball cumulative statistics for the University of Connecticut Huskies

uconnhuskies.com

Some should note that Paige has due to team needs has been playing out of position. She is not a forward but has been required to fill the position. She is a natural point or two shooting guard.

 

[Cuango]

Love Paige, but out of those two it's easily Clark.

I’ve gotta go with Paige if it’s for the game! Paige is simply the better shooter. Sure, Clark is great and deserves all the accolades that are going her way, but Paige, even after a weeks long, brutal slump, still shoots the three at a higher % than Clark and is at least as (in my mind more) clutch as Ms Clark!

 

[browns]

I’ve gotta go with Paige if it’s for the game! Paige is simply the better shooter. Sure, Clark is great and deserves all the accolades that are going her way, but Paige, even after a weeks long, brutal slump, still shoots the three at a higher % than Clark and is at least as (in my mind more) clutch as Ms Clark!

It's already happened when Clark hit her step back 3 to beat Michigan at the buzzer..simply amazing

 

[Skeets]

Good for Nika but there’s no comparison. They’ll gladly let her shoot while they double and triple Paige all the time. .412% is very impressive with what’s thrown at her defensively by every team they face.

You make a good point that I would like to expand upon. Now I am arguably the world's greatest Nika fan, but Nika only shoots the 3 when she is completely stationary and open like in the pre-game warmups. Paige on the other hand gets thrown a lot of crap and still manages to shoot the 3 beautifully.

FYI if Nika ever lurked on the BY she would have plenty of reasons to move on with life. The first 3 years were brutal and as recently as a few months ago some posters were still posting that she should not start. Even now you can find examples of Nika being damned with faint praise.

 

[Rowdy831]

Good analysis on a very important aspect of UConn. Going into the tournament, there's going to be increased defense directed to Paige and Alliyah, and the only viability that we have is for others to make open shots and those concession opportunities that teams give our players. Thus far, Nika has done a tremendous job of hitting open 3s, she's shown her shooting abilities quite well.

I am hoping that Shade and KK will start doing this as well--Shade has gone into a slump of late but KK is starting to make good on her drives--wish she would use the glass more. I hope Geno will run some plays specifically for Shade--his philosophy of having Paige shoot every possession is not going to work against quality teams. I don't know why he doesn't understand that by now...

If they play a team that can shut down Paige and AE they have very little chance to win that game. Outside of those two they really don't have the shooting to compete and with their size they will struggle to win a game where rebounding is the key to victory. The good news is I don't know of too many teams that can shut both of them down. If they do play that team they need to play full court the whole game and wear down the bigs.

 

[fomalhaut]

Paige's recent slump dropped her off the NCAA leaderboard in 3-point percentage, as she has fallen just below the 2 makes per game qualifying threshold.

 

[From France]

In the past people have said for different reasons that so and so should have their name on the wall even though they didn't make 1st team AA..well if anyone deserves that distinction without being an AA it is Nika Muhl !!

Asjha Jones, Olympian, WNBA champion
Tamika Williams with a record of 70+% FGM