Why didn't UConn have a bench tonight?

[Charliebball]

We can agree to disagree.

1-- The team is also trying to win games for March. Winning games are important too.

2-- Kyla imo couldn't have helped. Texas guards were getting in the paint. Megan would have had to help out and she isn't quick to help then get back to her player.

3-- Meg Walker has not been putting the ball in the hoop. She is shooting just 46% for the season and 29.4% from 3. And most of her minutes hasn't been in big games ) though she played well vs ND and UCLA).

those two games that Walker played so well in were pretty big..............in a way you could compare it to Crystal's performance against Baylor and then the significant drop off in her play for other parts of her first season.............perfectly normal for most freshman.............but if Geno wants a bench this year he either continues the practice like you play approach or he let's them work it out in game situations.............

 

[Goodgood]

The bench players have not demonstrated in practice that they are ready to play up to UConn’s standards yet . Once they do they will play. I for one am glad that Geno and UConn don’t cave and make the players earn their playing time.

Then how come in meaningless games that UConn lead by 30, they all get in? does that mean that they all had practiced well prior to those games and all meaningless out of conference games with top ten opponents they ALL didn't practice well prior to the games and only 6 players practiced well?

Geno plays to win, regardless of what he says about games in December/January when he want the team to peak March. But that is what these games are, meaningless. Most of the time he is right. But six tired players are not going to play well ALL the time and in the tournament, that can happen specially in the later round. He might change his mind now and will try to get 8 players ready instead of 6. Foul trouble and fatigue. Why is that when they get in overtime, they lose most of those games?

Geno had a great formula that won him multitude of Championships. Maybe it is time to tinker and improve the formula. March is still a long way.

 

[hoophuskee]

those two games that Walker played so well in were pretty big....in a way you could compare it to Crystal's performance against Baylor and then the significant drop off in her play for other parts of her first season...perfectly normal for most freshman...but if Geno wants a bench this year he either continues the practice like you play approach or he let's them work it out in game situations...

The thing is - it is obvious imo that ofc he is going to play them more vs the AAC.

The big problem with the ND game and this Texas game was that UCONN was behind the whole game. They never opened up a lead enough. looking back on his history I think he does use the bench more during the reg season vs top opponents. In these games he got behind. He did play Meg vs UCLA and ND. This game they were down from the start. But Meg's strength imo wasn't what that poster said. She isn't efficient as a scorer yet. And what if you think becuase the guards from Texas were so quick that Kyla was too slwo for this game? Then you'd disagree wiht the poster and say "sorry she can't play this game. SHe is a bad fit in a game like this."

 

[hoophuskee]

Then how come in meaningless games that UConn lead by 30, they all get in? does that mean that they all had practiced well prior to those games and all meaningless out of conference games with top ten opponents they ALL didn't practice well prior to the games and only 6 players practiced well?

Geno plays to win, regardless of what he says about games in December/January when he want the team to peak March. But that is what these games are, meaningless. Most of the time he is right. But six tired players are not going to play well ALL the time and in the tournament, that can happen specially in the later round. He might change his mind now and will try to get 8 players ready instead of 6. Foul trouble and fatigue. Why is that when they get in overtime, they lose most of those games?

Geno had a great formula that won him multitude of Championships. Maybe it is time to tinker and improve the formula. March is still a long way.

his formula is still awesome. He keeps getting super recruits and he keeps winning. Tonight he won yet again. Tonight UCONN won. His formula again shows the success of another great oncoming season. I can't think of any other formula better than that. He plays the bench more in those 30 plus blowouts not only to see if he feels they are improved but to rest his star players so they cay play in games like this. Other teams in power conferences might not be able to do this.

Expect it to continue and UCONN to remain dominant in terms of winning.

 

[JSB60]

This is how Geno rolls the dice, get the most out of your top performers and realize that it will work most but not all of the time. If one of the two players with four fouls had picked up another, then it doesn't work too well to have someone who hasn't played all game pull off the warmups and come into a pressure situation. Clearly, Geno believes it isn't worth losing the production earlier on to play more players. I think this is gutsy but works more often than not in the short term. The player development issue is another thing, though, and that can be a longer term cost.

 

[Charliebball]

The thing is - it is obvious imo that ofc he is going to play them more vs the AAC.

The big problem with the ND game and this Texas game was that UCONN was behind the whole game. They never opened up a lead enough. looking back on his history I think he does use the bench more during the reg season vs top opponents. In these games he got behind. He did play Meg vs UCLA and ND. This game they were down from the start. But Meg's strength imo wasn't what that poster said. She isn't efficient as a scorer yet. And what if you think becuase the guards from Texas were so quick that Kyla was too slwo for this game? Then you'd disagree wiht the poster and say "sorry she can't play this game. SHe is a bad fit in a game like this."

Kyla would have had a difficult time in the Texas game although she could have just given one of the forwards a 2-3 minute break........I agree Walker has been lax on the defensive end but she could have taken any of the Texas guards off the dribble and as an excellent rebounder for her size she would have been a positive in that game............Coombs could have come in for some defensive help with the Texas guards.............you pick your poison.........either they continue to be practice players until they're trustworthy or you throw them into the pool and see if they can swim............

 

[Charliebball]

Look at these two freshmen...........for me, Carter has been given way too long a leash but I wonder if either of these two would get minutes in the Texas game if they played for UConn..........

 

[Fairfield Fan]

BY'er's need to take off their rose-colored glasses. Coach Geno has been saying for some time (he even read the riot act to the bench players during the European tour) that the bench is not cutting it. Not a single bench player got into the game last night, and Auriemma said, once again, that the team can't make it through the rest of the season without contributions from the bench. He made it clear to Kara Lawson in his post-game interview that over the next couple of weeks he has to get the bench players to contribute. So it's difficult to understand why contributors on this site continue to pretend that the "big, big problem" is no problem at all.

Notre Dame and Texas have demonstrated that UConn will not waltz its way to the national championship. UConn is undersized compared with some other top teams, and it doesn't have a credible bench. We lost to a team last year that had two dominant post players. We almost lost to a team last night with several bigs. And going forward, we'll be challenged again.

I've been a UConn fan long enough to remember that we don't always prance to national championships. Lack of bench and lack of size (it's just Z) mean that a championship is not a done deal.

 

[Husky pride]

I do think geno has painted himself into a corner by not giving game time to at least two of the freshmen. He has had ample opportunity in the league games winning by 30 points. They cannot get confident if they don't play in games. He desperately needs two more guards and a better rotation.

Totally agree.

 

[JoePgh]

BY'er's need to take off their rose-colored glasses. Coach Geno has been saying for some time (he even read the riot act to the bench players during the European tour) that the bench is not cutting it. Not a single bench player got into the game last night, and Auriemma said, once again, that the team can't make it through the rest of the season without contributions from the bench. He made it clear to Kara Lawson in his post-game interview that over the next couple of weeks he has to get the bench players to contribute. So it's difficult to understand why contributors on this site continue to pretend that the "big, big problem" is no problem at all.

Notre Dame and Texas have demonstrated that UConn will not waltz its way to the national championship. UConn is undersized compared with some other top teams, and it doesn't have a credible bench. We lost to a team last year that had two dominant post players. We almost lost to a team last night with several bigs. And going forward, we'll be challenged again.

I've been a UConn fan long enough to remember that we don't always prance to national championships. Lack of bench and lack of size (it's just Z) mean that a championship is not a done deal.

Who has said that the non-performance of the bench (thus far) is not a problem? I don't think anyone disagrees with that; the issue is whether bench players should get significant game minutes in non-competitive games if they are not consistently performing up to expectations in practice. Geno says no, and a lot of people here say yes. Geno's approach has proven fairly viable over quite a long period of time. I think you have to give credit to his view that if players get minutes that they haven't earned in practice, particularly if they are freshmen, then they are far less responsive to coaching during the rest of their UConn careers. That is undoubtedly based on real experience.

Like everyone else, I would have liked to see what Megan or Mikayla could have done in last night's game -- maybe even if it meant losing the game. But whether that is the best way to coach them in the long term is another question.

The only way that UConn could have "pranced" to an NC this year would be if Megan Walker were the second coming of Maya Moore (or even Nykesha Sales). But she hasn't been, so it will be a tough road. That is as it should be.

 

[Charliebball]

BY'er's need to take off their rose-colored glasses. Coach Geno has been saying for some time (he even read the riot act to the bench players during the European tour) that the bench is not cutting it. Not a single bench player got into the game last night, and Auriemma said, once again, that the team can't make it through the rest of the season without contributions from the bench. He made it clear to Kara Lawson in his post-game interview that over the next couple of weeks he has to get the bench players to contribute. So it's difficult to understand why contributors on this site continue to pretend that the "big, big problem" is no problem at all.

Notre Dame and Texas have demonstrated that UConn will not waltz its way to the national championship. UConn is undersized compared with some other top teams, and it doesn't have a credible bench. We lost to a team last year that had two dominant post players. We almost lost to a team last night with several bigs. And going forward, we'll be challenged again.

I've been a UConn fan long enough to remember that we don't always prance to national championships. Lack of bench and lack of size (it's just Z) mean that a championship is not a done deal.

the only way to get a credible bench is to actually play the bench players in games.................there should still be a middle ground where a player has to earn minutes in meaningful games as opposed to simply moping up in the fourth quarter...........however Geno's propensity to keep the starters in after three quarters up by thirty or forty points when they could be resting their bumps and bruises is unnecessary as far as I'm concerned...........

 

[Phil]

Rellah Boothe of Texas (who was going to avg 40 pts or something like that to show people she is the best recruit from last year) did not get in the game either, so don't feel bad for Megan.

I saw a report that the #1, #3 and #4 players were all on the bencehs, not a minute between them.

 

[Charliebball]

I saw a report that the #1, #3 and #4 players were all on the bencehs, not a minute between them.

it's pretty amazing isn't it................while I don't think the UConn kids are on the bench for lack of effort, Rellah Boothe is a whole different story

 

[boontonbomber]

The bench players have not demonstrated in practice that they are ready to play up to UConn’s standards yet . Once they do they will play. I for one am glad that Geno and UConn don’t cave and make the players earn their playing time.

in the meantime, he's got exhausted players , who, I think, are more susceptible to injury. for their sake, he's got to get the bench in, whether they're having sparkling practices or not. lose one of the 6, and they're up the creek. in games like last night's, you hold your breath eveytime someone goes down.

 

[HuskyBandDad]

in the meantime, he's got exhausted players , who, I think, are more susceptible to injury. for their sake, he's got to get the bench in, whether they're having sparkling practices or not. lose one of the 6, and they're up the creek. in games like last night's, you hold your breath eveytime someone goes down.

Who looked exhausted? There is s time out every 5 minutes.
So play the bench in a tight game and lose?
Yea like the BY wouldn't have s melt down. Many here are melting after a win.

 

[Wbbfan1]

While I would have liked to see the Bench get some minutes last night, I'm not sure I would want that, if it meant a loss. Last night was an important win for UConn when it comes to NCAA Seedings. UConn needs to beat the Quality OOC Teams that are on their schedule to get a #1 Seed. They got by Notre Dame and now Texas. Two more to go in South Carolina and Louisville. Win at least one of these games and run the table in the AAC and they're probably a lock for a #1 Seed in the Albany Regional. Lose both of these games, they may not get the #1 seed but will probably be the #2 seed in the Albany Region. Would prefer there not be a question of who is the #1 seed in Albany Region. Other Quality P5 teams are gaining on UConn's strength of schedule each time they play a Conference Opponent.

Louisville, Miss St, Baylor, Notre Dame, Oregon & Ohio St are all capable of ending the year with three or fewer losses. The other possibility is the Lady Vols if they manage to beat Notre Dame and Miss St. That's why UConn needs to win their OOC games against Top 10 teams.

 

[GoUconn7961]

We need hard-nosed, knock-down, drag-out Stacy Hansmeyer BAM-BAM like play by someone off the bench...

 

[oldude]

While I would have liked to see the Bench get some minutes last night, I'm not sure I would want that, if it meant a loss. Last night was an important win for UConn when it comes to NCAA Seedings. UConn needs to beat the Quality OOC Teams that are on their schedule to get a #1 Seed. They got by Notre Dame and now Texas. Two more to go in South Carolina and Louisville. Win at least one of these games and run the table in the AAC and they're probably a lock for a #1 Seed in the Albany Regional. Lose both of these games, they may not get the #1 seed but will probably be the #2 seed in the Albany Region. Would prefer there not be a question of who is the #1 seed in Albany Region. Other Quality P5 teams are gaining on UConn's strength of schedule each time they play a Conference Opponent.

Louisville, Miss St, Baylor, Notre Dame, Oregon & Ohio St are all capable of ending the year with three or fewer losses. The other possibility is the Lady Vols if they manage to beat Notre Dame and Miss St. That's why UConn needs to win their OOC games against Top 10 teams.

The #1 overall seed is huge. Obviously it keeps the Huskies at home with two rounds in Storrs and two rounds in Albany, which is already just about sold out for the regionals with Husky fans buying up all of the tickets. The other advantage of being the #1 overall seed is that it sends the best competition somewhere else to knock each other off by virtue of the circle-seeding process. So the top teams in UConn's bracket would be the #8, 9 & 16 overall seeds. Assuming UConn gets to the FF, the best team they would face in the semis is the #4 overall seed.

 

[SVCBeercats]

of course UConn had a bench. Geno just didn't use it.

Just who are the bench that have been sufficiently developed to play against Texas? Particularly if Geno does not trust them or because they don't show enough confidence as he expects. UCONN as of now has a 6 player rotation. Next year will they have a 4 player rotation (Phee, Lou, Z, and Crystal Dangerfield) plus a bench of undeveloped "scrubs" and a couple of raw freshmen?

 

[bags27]

Just who are the bench that have been sufficiently developed to play against Texas? Particularly if Geno does not trust them or because they don't show enough confidence as he expects. UCONN as of now has a 6 player rotation. Next year will they have a 4 player rotation (Phee, Lou, Z, and Crystal Dangerfield) plus a bench of undeveloped "scrubs" and a couple of raw freshmen?

Right, and going into this year, they had a 4 player rotation, too, and the year before, and the year before, etc. that's the maximum of what most EVERY college team has: it's called graduation. Do you seriously think Meg won't be ready for prime time next year? Remember Pheesa's and Lou's and Crystal's sophomore leap? Remember that when Meg takes the court next November.

 

[Longtime fan]

During the fourth, I kept saying to myself that if Kia fouls out, surely Geno will put Megan into the game (given that Pheesa and Z were already trading places on and off the bench every couple of minutes).

What do you guys think, would she have been the next player in?

I think Geno is at a point in his " psychological development of the bench" where he would have inserted no one. Like in the
movie, " Hoosiers'" he would have played with four. I fear that a separation is taking place, rather than an integration. But my fears aside, I still trust Geno and how he does things. But I do think that fan confidence in his method begins to waver when a superstar recruit bails out, as AEH recently did. We begin to fear that the remaining players, rather than responding in a positive way, will rebel and regress.

 

[Longtime fan]

While I agree with everyone who express concern over UConn’s effectively short bench in big games, that wasn’t why the game was close last night. For the past 2 seasons, UConn has been masking the fact that they don’t have a real post player.

Gabby and Pheesa have done a wonderful job, and UConn has employed some creative defensive schemes to defend teams with size like Baylor & SC last season, but like MS St last year, and TX last night, some teams will be able to expose UConn’s lack of a traditional post player.

Right now Z is getting a crash course on playing the post, and she’s been very good at times, but she’s got a ways to go. It should be noted that at Duke, Z was a wing. I had held out hope that Batouly would be able to at least play some “Natalie Butler” minutes, but whether it’s due to bad knees or lack of trust, that hasn’t happened so far.

During the incredible stretch of 4 straight championship teams, UConn always had some combination of Steph, Kiah, Tuck & Stewie to play against teams with one or more Bigs in the post, and so it was a strength for the Huskies, not a weakness they were trying to hide.

This is a really good point. And that Texas post player was awesome. Not only a big body, but an athletic player. With "Z"" unable to hit from the outside, Texas had a real advantage here. And, absent, a fully fit and well trained Batouly, we still have no post. "Z" is pretty great in the role, but has to have all the arrows in her quiver at work to be a true threat. She can be bumped around by a true "big."

 

[Longtime fan]

None of TX freshmen got in the game: Boothe, Chastity Patterson or Destiny Littleton

I didn't realize this. It seemed that Texas played " waves" of players, and some had to be freshman. If none were, then they are ahead of UCONN in their bench development. Plenty of sophomores contributing.

 

[Longtime fan]

of course UConn had a bench. Geno just didn't use it.

is Megan not good enough to play a couple of minutes? she hasn't seemed as effective since she had the flu, but has she really had the chance since? how about Kyla? she's playing very well lately.

Certainly not for the first time, Geno CHOSE to play his best 6 the entire 200 minutes. If (say) Z had also fouled out, Geno would have gone to Megan or Kyla, and one of them would have scored 6 points, got 4 rebounds, and we'd say she played great and that UConn had a terrific bench. But Z didn't foul out and so no one else played.

Everything else is just speculation and buzz.

It was refreshing to hear that even Geno knows UCONN cannot win it all, playing only 6.

 

[jsloanjr]

Live by the sword and die by it.........The bench problems are Geno and the coaching staffs biggest problem and has been for the past 33 years.......I think Geno omitted last night that he was going to fix his bench issues.......I hope so and soon.........These players are AA;s and he to be baptized under fire in the next few weeks against the AAC teams to get ready for the tournament......
The coaching staff needs to make his bench become an asset.