Why didn't UConn have a bench tonight?

[JoePgh]

Every year, the goal of this program is to get to the championship game. The Texas game was really an insignificant game in the whole scheme of things. I would rather a few on the bench players get some quality minutes in a game like this rather than win the game. Geno's comment after the game about his goal now is to get the bench more minutes is funny. He constantly berates his bench in the press. He jokes about Stevens' defense in the press. That is not how you instill confidence in a person. His feelings about his bench players should be kept for the locker room; after all he is the one who recruited all of them. Some of them were high school all americans and it is a reflection on him if none of them can give him "quality minutes", whatever that is.

And how is this different from the way that Geno has coached from Day 1? He has made disparaging public comments (often with a sarcastic grin) about nearly every player whose name is on the wall and who made it onto Olympic teams. Apparently it worked with them.

He has acknowledged that the freshmen who aren't playing have all the physical talent that they need to play well and make a contribution. He has even said that they have shown it at UConn, but not on a consistent basis, so he doesn't know what he will get if he puts them in the game.

His method makes more sense to me than the approach used with Carter at TA&M or with Kelsey Mitchell as a freshman at Ohio State a few years ago. Let them come in, crank up shots, not play defense, not coordinate with the rest of the team, etc. That may lead to some gaudy scoring stats, but it doesn't lead to good team play, and it doesn't lead to them developing better habits later on in their college careers. If Ms. Carter at A&M were on the UConn roster, should would probably have been attached to the pine last night, and justly so, based on how I saw her play against Tennessee (even though A&M got a victory).

Those of you who are saying that this year's freshmen should get more game experience need to ask whether that would have been the right move for freshman Gabby Williams, freshman Napheesa Collier, freshman Crystal Dangerfield, or freshman KLS. Would they be as good as they are now if they had gotten to play as freshmen without learning the UConn system and playing within the team concept? And how would UConn have fared last night if they had never grasped that?

 

[CocoHusky]

Every year, the goal of this program is to get to the championship game. The Texas game was really an insignificant game in the whole scheme of things. I would rather a few on the bench players get some quality minutes in a game like this rather than win the game. Geno's comment after the game about his goal now is to get the bench more minutes is funny. He constantly berates his bench in the press. He jokes about Stevens' defense in the press. That is not how you instill confidence in a person. His feelings about his bench players should be kept for the locker room; after all he is the one who recruited all of them. Some of them were high school all americans and it is a reflection on him if none of them can give him "quality minutes", whatever that is.

I disagree entirely. Each year the goal is to win the Championship not to get to the Championship game. (You might have UCONN confused with ND). In support of that goal no game can be considered "insignificant" certainly not one against a top 10 team and potential future tournament opponent. You do not have to lose to actually learn something from a game and get better. Geno does NOT constantly berate his bench. After the UCF game he said : " That group that was out there to close out the game (no starters) did some nice things and things looked more like what we are used to seeing from the kids in this program".
I'm shocked ( but not really) that you don't know what "quality minutes" means.

 

[Charliebball]

How about an entirely foreign Rx for the UCONN post.
An Australian in 2018-Ezi
A gal from U.S. Virgin Islands in 2019- Aliyah
A Brazilian in 2020- Kamilla.

I'll settle for one out of the three thank you

 

[Charliebball]

102 ? straight regular season wins. 169-1? I think it sounds crazy to be complaining about anything.

yes but that one loss was a doozy......................

 

[SVCBeercats]

Right, and going into this year, they had a 4 player rotation ...

Wrong! They had at least a five player rotation Phee, Gabby, Lou, Kia and Azura. Danger was going to be good based on the number of minutes she played and her development. Turns out Dangerfield made a massive jump which I don't believe would have happened without playing significant minutes last season because Geno was forced to do so. UCONN came into this season with six strong players to say the least. As of now UCONN will enter next season with four strong players and Walker is not one of them, Phee, Lou, Danger, Azura. Next year this difference we have won't exist because Geno will be forced to play less than fully develop players for significant minutes. Guess what they may lose more games than "normal" 0 to 1, but by NCAA time they will have developed into really good players because they will have played more than 2-4 minutes per game.

 

[UConnCat]

Hasn't Megan Walker earned any level of trust from her play in the UCLA and ND games? Hard to imagine she could have played better.

Agreed. What has happened since the ND game? Megan came down with the flu and did not play in the Oklahoma and Duquesne games. We understand she was frustrated trying to regain her conditioning when the team returned after Christmas. Meg returned to play the 2nd half of the Memphis game and played well. She also played well against ECU and played okay against USF. Then, after the team returned home from Florida and played UCF we heard frustration from Geno about the freshmen not being able to string together consecutive good practices. Megan played 3 minutes against UCF, 11 not-so-good minutes against Houston and not at all against Texas.

I remember a nationally televised Monday night game against Baylor in February 2013, a game in which Stewie played 7 minutes and put up zeros across the board. She was completely lost on an inbound play which allowed a Baylor player to score an easy basket. That was the end of her night. Afterwards Geno spoke some tough words: "But we can't worry about Breanna right now. We have games to win. Breanna has to take care of herself. I have to make sure I am doing the best for the remainder of the team."

Breanna did begin to take care of herself and went to work under the early morning tutelage of Chris Dailey. The rest, as they say, is history.

Maybe Megan and CD need to get to work. Sounds like Geno is ready to address it as well.

 

[bags27]

Wrong! They had at least a five player rotation Phee, Gabby, Lou, Kia and Azura. Danger was going to be good based on the number of minutes she played and her development. Turns out Dangerfield made a massive jump which I don't believe would have happened without playing significant minutes last season because Geno was forced to do so. UCONN came into this season with six strong players to say the least. As of now UCONN will enter next season with four strong players and Walker is not one of them, Phee, Lou, Danger, Azura. Next year this difference we have won't exist because Geno will be forced to play less than fully develop players for significant minutes. Guess what they may lose more games than "normal" 0 to 1, but by NCAA time they will have developed into really good players because they will have played more than 2-4 minutes per game.

Not really. Z was untested at UConn, so there were only 4 players with significant time. And you've made the calculation of who's getting playing time this year with 1/2 a year to go. Very clearly, Geno is going to give at least 2 or 3 players (certainly Meg and Kyla, and then Molly, and at least one more guard) a lot of playing time the rest of the way.

 

[CocoHusky]

Wrong! They had at least a five player rotation Phee, Gabby, Lou, Kia and Azura. Danger was going to be good based on the number of minutes she played and her development. Turns out Dangerfield made a massive jump which I don't believe would have happened without playing significant minutes last season because Geno was forced to do so. UCONN came into this season with six strong players to say the least. As of now UCONN will enter next season with four strong players and Walker is not one of them, Phee, Lou, Danger, Azura. Next year this difference we have won't exist because Geno will be forced to play less than fully develop players for significant minutes. Guess what they may lose more games than "normal" 0 to 1, but by NCAA time they will have developed into really good players because they will have played more than 2-4 minutes per game.

Love how you are already giving up on Megan who is averaging roughly the same amounts of minutes that Gabby and Napheesa did as Freshmen and were AA by their respective Junior and Sophomore seasons.

 

[SVCBeercats]

“Right, and going into this year, they had a 4 player rotation, too …”

Wrong! UCONN came into this season with four UCONN starters, one Duke starter (who was an ACC FOY and a honorable mention AA), and a sophomore who developed reasonably well because of playin g significant meaningful minutes. Minutes Geno was forced to give her. At the beginning of the season there were two camps touting either Azura or Crystal as the starters. There was no doubt about their abilities. Care to review some of your posts on this subject? Next Season UCONN will have at least one AA (Lou), two seasoned starters (Phee & Danger), and Azura as a starter. Four strong players will be it. Walker needs playing time this season to begin a Dangerfield like metamorphosis. Coombs and Gordon were highly rated high. I believe their upside is greater than Kyla’s and Molly’s upside. Coombs and Gordon should also be developed this year for next year by playing meaningful minutes. Maybe then there will be 7 strong to reasonably strong players returning for next season.

Actually our difference will not exist next year since Geno, once again, will be forced to play under developed sophomores and raw freshmen for significant meaningful minutes and they will develop as they should have this year. UCONN will probably lose more than the usual 0 to 1 games but it will have developed players ready for the NCAA. Winning the NCAA is another story since other programs are recruiting players UCONN wants. Their coaching is much better than ever before. There are at least 6 programs making big strides.

 

[CocoHusky]

“Right, and going into this year, they had a 4 player rotation, too …”

Wrong! UCONN came into this season with four UCONN starters, one Duke starter (who was an ACC FOY and a honorable mention AA), and a sophomore who developed reasonably well because of playin g significant meaningful minutes. Minutes Geno was forced to give her. At the beginning of the season there were two camps touting either Azura or Crystal as the starters. There was no doubt about their abilities. Care to review some of your posts on this subject? Next Season UCONN will have at least one AA (Lou), two seasoned starters (Phee & Danger), and Azura as a starter. Four strong players will be it. Walker needs playing time this season to begin a Dangerfield like metamorphosis. Coombs and Gordon were highly rated high. I believe their upside is greater than Kyla’s and Molly’s upside. Coombs and Gordon should also be developed this year for next year by playing meaningful minutes. Maybe then there will be 7 strong to reasonably strong players returning for next season.

Actually our difference will not exist next year since Geno, once again, will be forced to play under developed sophomores and raw freshmen for significant meaningful minutes and they will develop as they should have this year. UCONN will probably lose more than the usual 0 to 1 games but it will have developed players ready for the NCAA. Winning the NCAA is another story since other programs are recruiting players UCONN wants. Their coaching is much better than ever before. There are at least 6 programs making big strides.

After a 1/2 a decade of UCONN dominance those 6 programs "had to make great strides" the same way Geno is going to be "forced" to play to play under developed player. The latter will never happen ( he'll retire first) and the former is pure fantasy.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Not really. Z was untested at UConn, so there were only 4 players with significant time. And you've made the calculation of who's getting playing time this year with 1/2 a year to go. Very clearly, Geno is going to give at least 2 or 3 players (certainly Meg and Kyla, and then Molly, and at least one more guard) a lot of playing time the rest of the way.

Everyone in the WCB world knew Azura would be a winner at UCONN. Azura had two years of starting time in the WCB at Duke. So yeah, she had tres beaucoup meaningful minutes of playing time that they are not getting. It is my premise that they need meaningful playing time. If he gives significant meaningful playing time to Kyla and Molly it would be a huge mistake. Neither have the talent and skills of Coomb and Gordon. It would be a bad investment of playing time.

 

[SVCBeercats]

After a 1/2 a decade of UCONN dominance those 6 programs "had to make great strides" the same way Geno is going to be "forced" to play to play under developed player. The latter will never happen ( he'll retire first) and the former is pure fantasy.

We shall see.

 

[bags27]

Everyone in the WCB world knew Azura would be a winner at UCONN.

ditto Meg. absolutely no doubt.

 

[Gus Mahler]

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 was going to start a thread on this very topic this AM, but haven't gotten through reading all the others yet.

If Kia fouls out? I think Geno puts in Kyla. If it were me? I put in Megan without question.

Both would be defensive liabilities. Kyla can set screens and bang. And pass. But Megan has been on the big stage before and has great instincts. I would take my chances with her.

 

[Rocket009]

Everyone in the WCB world knew Azura would be a winner at UCONN. Azura had two years of starting time in the WCB at Duke. So yeah, she had tres beaucoup meaningful minutes of playing time that they are not getting. It is my premise that they need meaningful playing time. If he gives significant meaningful playing time to Kyla and Molly it would be a huge mistake. Neither have the talent and skills of Coomb and Gordon. It would be a bad investment of playing time.

Everyone gets lots of meaningful minutes in practice everyday. What they do with those minutes determines their game minutes. If Geno trusted them to contribute meaningfully in a game - like the Texas game - then they would be in there. Since they spend way more time in practice than playing - that's where player development will take place. The habits and skills they develop in practice then show up in real games.

I know that there is a difference between practice and real game situations, but all the little things that make you a great team defender and allow you to work in the UCONN offense are built through repetition and training during practices. Remember - they practice until they cannot get it wrong.

Having a bunch of talented players go out and wing it may work in some systems, but that is not the way it is at UCONN. Huskies take better percentage shots than the opposition and make the opposition take more contested shots. That's how they shoot a higher percentage than others (which won the game last night since we got far fewer shots than TX) and keep the opposition to a low percentage - although TX did a pretty good job both hitting contest shots and moving the ball around to get open looks. They were just not as efficient as us on both ends.

 

[JustinesGuy]

I was going to start a thread on this very topic this AM, but haven't gotten through reading all the others yet.

If Kia fouls out? I think Geno puts in Kyla. If it were me? I put in Megan without question.

Both would be defensive liabilities. Kyla can set screens and bang. And pass. But Megan has been on the big stage before and has great instincts. I would take my chances with her.

You would think Megan Walker would come in at least to add ball handling if Texas started to turn up the pressure with Kia out. Kyla as solid as she is really is not a great ball handler.
I think putting in a player ice cold would have been awful. Can we get another year out of Kia?

 

[Gus Mahler]

You would think Megan Walker would come in at least to add ball handling if Texas started to turn up the pressure with Kia out. Kyla as solid as she is really is not a great ball handler.
I think putting in a player ice cold would have been awful. Can we get another year out of Kia?

I'm with ya on that. I've never understood how athletes do that (e.g., pinch-hitting in baseball).

It's true that Kyla is not that great of a ball handler, but I think she can pass. So who knows. Like I said, I would g with Megan. And there's not much profit in trying to read Geno's mind or predict his moves.

One more point: It wouldn't have knocked me off my chair if he brought in Mikayla.

 

[JustinesGuy]

I'm with ya on that. I've never understood how athletes do that (e.g., pinch-hitting in baseball).

It's true that Kyla is not that great of a ball handler, but I think she can pass. So who knows. Like I said, I would g with Megan. And there's not much profit in trying to read Geno's mind or predict his moves.

One more point: It wouldn't have knocked me off my chair if he brought in Mikayla.

You guess is as good as mine. I will try to ask him if I can get ahold of him. A few weeks ago Justine asked Geno a few questions for me on her pod cast.

 

[Gus Mahler]

One thing Geno seems to be doing a little differently than in the past is to keep some starters on the floor a little longer to play with the scrubs. Seems like he is spreading the substitutions out a little bit more. Maybe that's a function of the larger roster, or maybe I'm imagining it.

In any event, I'd really like to see him put one the benchers he's trying to develop in with the first team in the first half and keep them in longer. Seems to me they have a better chance of looking good and playing well with the better players around them. And of course if he's trying to develop a bench it's those players he would be looking for them to play well with.

 

[Gus Mahler]

This is not intended for anyone in particular but everyone in general: Doesn't Geno take at least a little bit into account how a player plays in a game as far as future playing time? He enthusiastically complimented Lexi in the post-presser game before last. She got in five decent minutes. I hope that sticks in his memory banks.

 

[donalddoowop]

I think many of you are missing the point. Some are complaining not so much that more bench players should have played last night. The complaints are more about the coaching staff not already having developed bench players to a point where they can be trusted and were ready to play last night. Walker has shown that sh can be trusted in big games. Shooting 46% from the field is really good and not a liability. Most of her minutes may not have been in big games but her better minutes have been. There have been enough blowout games to give bench players more than three to four minutes of play.

 

[HuskylnSC]

I would like to reiterate my early point only simpler; Our bench strength has transferred out for various reasons. Think about the really good Junior and senior players that have transferred out and imagine us having this discussion

 

[JoePgh]

I would like to reiterate my early point only simpler; Our bench strength has transferred out for various reasons. Think about the really good Junior and senior players that have transferred out and imagine us having this discussion

I think that the only person to whom this comment applies is Natalie Butler. Courtney Ekmark and Sadie Edwards would have made absolutely no difference if they had been on the UConn bench against Texas. Am I forgetting someone else? Are you suggesting that Dejenae Boykin would have made a big difference? That is highly speculative.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Geno has had a lot of complaints about the frosh. He was not happy with their comditioningh. Then it was their efforts in practice. Apparently their effort is now acceptable. BUT Geno now does not like their confidence level. AEH did not like the "fit" and left. Texas plays UCONN tough. UCONN lost the NCAA title with a 6 player rotation. So now Geno says maybe we should work on developing two more players for the rotation. Good thought! Just get them in the game; do what you do best this time of year positive motivation and coaching and stop bitching about them.

 

[hoophuskee]

“Right, and going into this year, they had a 4 player rotation, too …”

Wrong! UCONN came into this season with four UCONN starters, one Duke starter (who was an ACC FOY and a honorable mention AA), and a sophomore who developed reasonably well because of playin g significant meaningful minutes. Minutes Geno was forced to give her. At the beginning of the season there were two camps touting either Azura or Crystal as the starters. There was no doubt about their abilities. Care to review some of your posts on this subject? Next Season UCONN will have at least one AA (Lou), two seasoned starters (Phee & Danger), and Azura as a starter. Four strong players will be it. Walker needs playing time this season to begin a Dangerfield like metamorphosis. Coombs and Gordon were highly rated high. I believe their upside is greater than Kyla’s and Molly’s upside. Coombs and Gordon should also be developed this year for next year by playing meaningful minutes. Maybe then there will be 7 strong to reasonably strong players returning for next season.

Actually our difference will not exist next year since Geno, once again, will be forced to play under developed sophomores and raw freshmen for significant meaningful minutes and they will develop as they should have this year. UCONN will probably lose more than the usual 0 to 1 games but it will have developed players ready for the NCAA. Winning the NCAA is another story since other programs are recruiting players UCONN wants. Their coaching is much better than ever before. There are at least 6 programs making big strides.

Underdeveloped sophomores? The season isn't even half over yet. Walker will get her playing time no doubt vs the AAC. However this "metamorphosis" you speak of - you're making it up to fit your narrative. And I'll do the same. To me for example "meaningful minutes" is during blowouts. Even when you get benched after 5 minutes even vs a lousy team it can be meaningful. Thus a metamorphosis will eventually occur whether it be this year or next. And as far as recruit ratings and Lexi - you speak of Lexi as a high recruit. Noooo she was not to UCONN standards considered "high." . At least not enough to be posting this much as many of you have that she deserves more minutes.

So far I think Auriemma has been brilliant. IMo the best thing he is doing is playing his best in big games. Now when we play some poor teams let's see what the other bench players can do. Those are meaningful minutes too. But it's the stars that mostly win the high profile games. And UCONN has 6 players. Six stars. The best way to ensure losing a game is when you start coaching for next year while benching the stars in tight games instead of coaching in the now.

For example I had a brief argument regarding if Kyla should have entered with another poster. His suggestion was to play Kyla 2-3 minutes. I didn't get a chance to respond but this game vs Texas wound up being a 1 possession game. Kyla is not quick enough / athletic enough vs this Texas team. The Texas guards were getting inside. Kyla's strength on defense is not quickness/help-and-recover when she has to compete vs a team as talented as Texas. Her entry would probably have cost UCONN the game.

Bottom-line is -- UCONN can't afford to lose these types of games. The super recruits (top 5 - top 8) will keep coming only if UCONN keeps winning these high profile games. Especially “ a style” can’t beat UCONN several times. There is little margin for error for UCONN. You can't go playing around with for example "maybe" "Kyla Irwin" or "a freshman that is not ready" should be thrown out there and would probably cost the team a big game-- all because you hope those few minutes in that one big game will be the "major driving " catalyst to turn her into something special down the road. That stuff is fantasy/movies mythology. It's a myth that giving freshmen "meaningful minutes in big games" automatically turns them at the end of the freshmen year to a player that will help you win the title. There is no guarantee of that. If you can’t near guarantee it—then go down losing with your best.

You want to project how the manner of the downfall will someday happen? It will certainly happen when you give players like Kyla key minutes in a key national televised matchup while your losing for nearly all of a tight game – and while your all-American is on the bench and right before your eyes the other team goes on a run in which you never recover/ don’t win. You can then say goodbye to the next “Collier rated” recruit. And then the “Samuelson type recruit” will look at the roster and see she can go elsewhere. Once you lose that and you’re in the AAC – you’re done. In summary - play your best and if you lose -- go down with your best. Don't give it away because you think a 20 year old is too tired. Other super recruit 20 year olds will stop coming. They won't stop coming if you keep winning especially when you are favored.

 

[tower1]

You are right about the moral argument. And once you state your moral position--it's difficult to retract that.
But --when the need was there and the options were few--Geno used Frosh in nearly all positions as the need was seen. Charde--is my example --of one who today would not see the floor--her practices were not great, Geno by all reports thought her less than energetic. But she could score and he had few who could--she was excellent on the point of his press--he needed her.
Right now at this point ---he needs a Frosh/Soph or two to fill holes --give him a few minutes here and there. Walker, has shown she can play in big games. Coomb? Not Molly, not Touly, who else??

I believe Coombs should be getting some of those Molly minutes. Coombs is just as talented as Walker. She needs a chance to prove it, if she gets a chance.
Did anyone watch her during the McDonalds game?

 

[CocoHusky]

I believe Coombs should be getting some of those Molly minutes. Coombs is just as talented as Walker. She needs a chance to prove it, if she gets a chance.
Did anyone watch her during the McDonalds game?

I did. She played well but McDonalds AA game is kind of irrelavant to Mikayla situation at UCONN. How irrelavant ? The MVP of that game Rellah is not getting much run at Texas either.

 

[hart2hart]

I totally agree with Beercats.
Geno easily could find quite a few
minutes for these “bench” players.
It really bugs me that he just doesn’t
do it.......Maybe Geno would be
pleasantly surprised!

 

[BobbyJ]

I did. She played well but McDonalds AA game is kind of irrelavant to Mikayla situation at UCONN. How irrelavant ? The MVP of that game Rellah is not getting much run at Texas either.

I’m not surprised by Boothe’s situation at all. No fundamentals or concept of defense. Aston has a ton of work ahead of her.

 

[Gus Mahler]

And as far as recruit ratings and Lexi - you speak of Lexi as a high recruit. Noooo she was not to UCONN standards considered "high." . At least not enough to be posting this much as many of you have that she deserves more minutes.

Many?

Just so we're clear, I don't suggest that Lexi is a solution to this year's depth issue. I do think, however, that if she's earned five minutes of time in a blowout and does well in that time, that ought to earn her a few gold stars such that next time she plays, maybe she'll get six or eight minutes.