Xavier Post-game Thread

[Carnac]

Got some highlights:

If you're SMU, and you're getting your a** handed to you like this, there's NOTHING you can do but take it. If you are the SMU coach, what do you say to your team?

 

[MilfordHusky]

3. Just having Azzi on the floor makes the rest of the team better shooters. I haven't read this entire thread, but has anyone figured out what our 3 point FG% is in games with her vs. without her?

A few stats:

On the season, we are shooting .335 from the arc. That's .478 for Azzi and .312 for everyone else. Huge disparity!

Since the first DePaul game, when Azzi resumed playing, we have shot an improved .416. That's .490 for Azzi and .384 for everyone else.

I didn't compare our stats with and without Azzi for the full season, but I think the results would be the same. Azzi shot 8-18 early in the season, so most--49 out of 67--3-point attempts were in the last 8 games.

It's clear that we are a better 3-point shooting team with Azzi. That appears to be because (1) Azzi is a great shooter and (2) the rest of the team shoots better when Azzi is in the game.

 

[oldude]

A few stats:

On the season, we are shooting .335 from the arc. That's .478 for Azzi and .312 for everyone else. Huge disparity!

Since the first DePaul game, when Azzi resumed playing, we have shot an improved .416. That's .490 for Azzi and .384 for everyone else.

I didn't compare our stats with and without Azzi for the full season, but I think the results would be the same. Azzi shot 8-18 early in the season, so most--49 out of 67--3-point attempts were in the last 8 games.

It's clear that we are a better 3-point shooting team with Azzi. That appears to be because (1) Azzi is a great shooter and (2) the rest of the team shoots better when Azzi is in the game.

I’ve mentioned before that just like KML & Lou, Azzi is the “bell cow.” When Azzi is knocking down 3’s, the entire team gets comfortable from the arc.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I’ve mentioned before that just like KML & Lou, Azzi is the “bell cow.” When Azzi is knocking down 3’s, the entire team gets comfortable from the arc.

Bell cow?

 

[Cuango]

I thought Xavier was the Musketeers. Why not a guy dressed up like Oliver Reed as your mascot?

I’m sure there’s a committee there desperately trying to come up with a new name. Can’t have the “M” word in there. Just a matter of time until protests over the inherent violence of having “musket” in their mascot name shut down the school. Perhaps “Mooseketeers”? Then they could retire the blob and feature a big old moose lumbering across the court. This would inevitably result in a lawsuit from the Rocky and Bullwinkle creators, thus providing even more publicity for the University brand and allowing for a new “donations” campaign for “legal expenses”! Truly a win win situation!

 

[SVCBeercats]

I met Admiral Grace Murry Hopper a long time ago. She was very instrumental in advocating the development of technology that would identify enemy troop and supply movement. I was a very young man and deployed that technology in Viet Nam.

I met her briefly at an IT convention. She was the keynote speaker. Like your encounter it was long ago.

 

[Cuango]

I thought Caroline's production was very good. In only 14 minutes of play: 11 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals. Geno also said after the game and in the presser that having Caroline on one side and Fudd on the other side of the court on offense is going to be really tough to defend. The sound of a sweet future.

Yeah, then add Paige in the middle and Tums stock is going to skyrocket!

 

[nomdoux]

I’ve mentioned before that just like KML & Lou, Azzi is the “bell cow.” When Azzi is knocking down 3’s, the entire team gets comfortable from the arc.

Aside from her huge impact as a lethal shooter & gravity spacer (not to mention good defender, ball handler, & stabilizing presence), Azzi clearly gives the team massive confidence when she is on the floor— similar to Paige in this respect.

Players play more freely & less uptight when they know their teammate can score virtually at will. Relieves pressure on entire unit at any given time.

 

[MSGRET]

These "post game" threads appear to be the most popular on this forum. Over 8,000 views and 117 (and counting) comments. I wish more of those 8,000 viewers would post a comment. There's only one reason to read the comments posted here. To find out what other UConn fans are thinking. You don't have to agree with their thoughts, but it is interesting to see what they're thinking. That's why I like being in the chatroom during games. Lots of "raw" and unabashed thoughts and observations are posted there. And they are all unfiltered.

Some of them a little too raw. Every once in a while I have to leave because I'm afraid I might say something that the Mods wouldn't approve of because of the way I would react to a "raw" statement.

 

[HopJim]

If you're SMU, and you're getting your a** handed to you like this, there's NOTHING you can do but take it. If you are the SMU coach, what do you say to your team?

I was at this game. Nasty.

 

[Longtime fan]

Well that game was an absolute treat - pick which one was he sweetest?!!

• Seeing Caroline back on the floor
• Seeing Olivia back on the floor
• Seeing Piath in with 8 minutes left in Q4 - and be productive - 11 points, 4 boards
• Seeing Amari in with just under 7 minutes left in Q4 - and be productive - 5 points, 3 assists

I'm sure the best things were seeing a healthy Caroline and Liv, but so much to enjoy about this game. Sloppy and ragged the first 6 or 7 minutes, then it was off to the races. An old fashioned beat down harkening back to years past. And the team didn't really ever take their foot off the pedal. Sure there were moments and lapses, but it's impossible to play a "perfect" game. Still, for what we have been thru, to smack down an overmatched opponent for most of the game was so nice to see.

• I continue to marvel at this teams' newfound 3 point prowess. Does having Azzi in the lineup make THAT much of a difference for the rest of the team? It's uncanny how the team 3-point %'s have skyrocketed since Azzi's return.
• The defense was stifling with any combo of the 8 core players in. Held Xavier to 22% shooting thru most of the game. Gave up 9,10, and 5 in Q'2 1,2 & 3 and <gasp> 11 in Q4
• The scoring was so incredibly spread out. No one had more than 13 points, AND no one had less than 5. We scored 89 points with contributions from everyone.
• 5 players in double figures with 42 bench points!
• We shot 63% for the game and 48% from 3.

A nice and easy game - getting injured players back in the flow, giving bench players plenty of time and opportunity - a great game. WooHoo!!!

I'm a bit less ebullient about the "stifling" play-off our defense. Xavier was pretty awful shooting the basketball. Don't forget; their top two scorers were not in the game due to violations of team policy. I am not criticizing our defense, I'm just saying it was today greatly aided by the incompetence of Xavier's players. They are a team very much struggling at the moment. They are one of the schools where the mens program is revered, but the woman largely ignored. Hopefully, someone or something can alter that.

 

[Longtime fan]

What stood out to me was the total lack of rustiness in Caroline's game. Other than her limited minutes, you couldn't have told that she had missed any time. No "wooziness" at all. And I'm not sure that her minutes really needed to be limited -- I guess the team will find out tomorrow whether she has any lingering headaches.

Liv was slightly different -- she did show "rust". Traveling, mental slow in getting into position for an entry pass. I'm quite sure that these symptoms will disappear as she gets more minutes. I saw no indication of any physical limitations in her movements.

Another point, unrelated to the above: Dorka is now playing the post position in just the way that the best UConn posts have done going back to Kara Wolters. Do the footwork before you get the ball, and lean into the shot. On defense, don't let any cutters get behind you. She was completely different at the beginning of the season -- she was a defensive liability against Arkansas and South Carolina. It is amazing how much she has learned in her short time in Storrs.

And I think Aaliyah is back -- she still has to watch her fouling, but the aggressiveness is back, and she doesn't seem to lose balls with slippery hands in recent games.

Good points. I think Liv may have been a bit "uneasy" about re-injuring herself. She was testing her body's reaction to real stress. Hopefully, your observation was correct and that she is fully healed. Caroline did look ready for 40 minutes. And notably both Dorka and Edwards are playing much more aggressive and productive ball. And lingering in the back-ground might be some "talent" in the form of DeBerry and Gabriel. Who is this Paige person showing up at practice now?

 

[Jingo]

Piath is very effective setting herself up for a pass. She might work on a stronger finish along with Dorka, i.e. finish with a foul. We have great depth. We also have three bigs or four smalls and any combination in between. A coaches dream. One minor concern is playing against a packed zone which would need Dorka or another big to float outside and hit some threes.
The zone we played showed another defensive side of our game. It also resulted in better defensive rebounding which was missing during the opening minutes. I would like to see our bigs work the heavy ball to improve their hand strength and eye hand coordination.

Overall, an entertaining game with lots of player combinations. Even the team seemed to enjoy the romp, see what they had worked on in practice that was actually effective during game time. Good for them! They were all ears listening to Geno during huddles. He has their complete attention and see their roles going forward. This game was perfect timing approaching March.

Playing zone is notoriously weak for defensive rebounding. In man-to-man, you can put a body on someone, i.e. 'box out', eh?

 

[Carnac]

I was at this game. Nasty.

Nasty. There was a player for the S.F. 49'ers with that nick name. Cedrick Hardman. He was considered one of their best players.

SANTA CLARA (CBS SF) — Cedrick Hardman, a star defensive end for the San Francisco 49ers in the 1970s who went on to win a Super Bowl ring with the Oakland Raiders, died (March 20, 2019) at age 70, the 49ers announced.

Hardman anchored the 49ers’ “Gold Rush” defensive line during his 10 seasons (1970-79) with the 49ers, appearing in 139 games. He moved across the bay to the Raiders in 1980, where played on that season’s Super Bowl championship team. He also played for the Raiders in 1981 and was a player/coach for the Oakland Invaders of the United States Football League in 1983.

Sometimes, nasty is good.

 

[TeamFirst!]

What an excellent interview.

It was as if the interviewer worked for the team!

 

[TeamFirst!]

I'm happy for Piath and Amari. I don't think their offense is stopping them from getting some PT. I wonder how bad the defense is though. They look like they can be pushed around and scored on. The world of basketball is littered with very big centers who can't defend the pick and roll. There does appear to be hope though and we may see more PT for them in the coming few games.

 

[Biff]

I met Admiral Grace Murry Hopper a long time ago. She was very instrumental in advocating the development of technology that would identify enemy troop and supply movement. I was a very young man and deployed that technology in Viet Nam.

I attended a speach she gave at a Naval Technology convention in the 80s. At the end she handed every attendee a wire approximately 30 cm long to remind each of us that is the distance light travels in one nanosecond. Nothing she said in her presentation was exceptionally advanced material but she was definitely engaging and entertaining.

 

[Carnac]

Every Boneyard fan should know: ONLY GENO determines playing time.
For nearly as long as Geno has been coach some fans, including me, have moaned for one kid or another to get "MORE PT".
Geno likes both kids, he likes their game. He has said so on video. Bigs take a much longer time to evolve into "effective" post players. one or 2 like Boston-Dolson, come NEARLY prepared to fight and win.

Agreed. It's really not fair to compare other post players with Aliyah Boston (South Carolina) She became a starter on day 1. She was plug and play. Note below the numerous conference and national awards she won as a freshman. IMHO, Boston is "by far" the best post player in the country even though on the team's official roster, she's listed as a forward. That said, she does all of her business (damage) in the paint!

 

[jazz]

I'm happy for Piath and Amari. I don't think their offense is stopping them from getting some PT. I wonder how bad the defense is though. They look like they can be pushed around and scored on. The world of basketball is littered with very big centers who can't defend the pick and roll. There does appear to be hope though and we may see more PT for them in the coming few games.

Piath doesn't seem to diagnose things very well if she is more than a few feet from the basket. It is not that she isn't trying, it's just that she seems naïve with regard to team defense and guarding a player with pretty decent moves. Btu her size does present some problems for teams and we can use her in limited minutes I think.

Amari doesn't seem to interested in defense. She is all about the offense. Better today though. I did like that they both got some playing time I think GA should play Piath more. Amari too if she can show a bit more urgency on the defensive side.

 

[jazz]

makes a huge difference in the way teams play us on defense. She really stretches the defense and can open things up a bit for our bigs to operate inside. Our bigs need room to operate and don't perform nearly as well when they are asked to make quick decisions with multiple players around them. That isn't nearly as much a problem with on one side and then CD on the other. I don't think anybody can go zone against us in the tournament. M:M will be tough as well and tiresome because you can't give an inch and have to fight through a multitude of screens all day. I have been really impressed with 's subtle quickness on offense and getting her shot off quickly. When she gets that midrange going, it is going to be tough to hold her to less than 20.

Now when we get PB back, we will have three outstanding 3 point shooters, a two streaky ones in CW and NM.

 

[Stymie]

The moral of that story (game), is that if you get sloppy with the ball, things can go bad very quickly.

 

[TeamFirst!]

No doubt Azzi helps the 3 ball efficiency but she also cuts down on turnovers and plays good defence. Most importantly, her addition means every player on the team can shoot so every player needs to be defended against. That helps keep the clogging on the middle to a minimum. Reduces the double teams. Azzi makes a good team great.

 

[jdote33]

lots of great recaps in this post. Here are some of my quick thoughts.

CD - Welcome back! I can't say enough how much I like to watch her play. Her fearlessness, her passing, the contrast between how amped she gets on the bench, vs how cold blooded she is when she makes a great play. I like the way she was rebounding, and the full court passes to EW and CW were great. I think over the next month, she will be in that 4 spot a bit, and it will be important for her to help out on the glass. In any event, I'm glad she looked well.

EW- I just have to say I love sixth-woman E. When she comes off the bench, she seems to always make the right plays. 7, 5, and 5 doesn't do justice on how much she impacted the game. I know her draft stock may not be where it was at the end of last season, but a WNBA team will be lucky to have her on her roster. She's just not a big scorer, but she really does do everything well.

CW- I love seeing CW aggressive. As great as our 3 young studs are, she just brings something a little bit different. Like her explosiveness, ability to stop and start, and get out and transition. She's closing out the season well on both ends of the court. She had a monster block and a great steal in this game.

Dorka -I mentioned in the game chat early on that she got a bit feisty and I love it! I feel like ONO is rubbing off on her cuz she's been great blocking shots recently, and talking a bit of trash while doing it! I thought she gave solid minutes. Another 4 assist game by her, I bet Geno didn't know how good of a passer she is.

AE- When the team started off a bit slow, she was the one who kind of got them going. She was great on the glass, grabbing offensive rebounds, and scoring inside. I noted this a couple games ago, but her and Dorka seem to have great chemistry. Anyways, AE is playing well right now. I know there is going to be a minutes crunch but she will get hers. She just needs to stay out of foul trouble.

ONO- It was great to see Liv back as well. She played a really solid game. I sometimes overlook her playmaking, but she had 4 assist last night. As others mentioned, she had a really nice post move that I hope she can go to consistently. All in all, I was just glad that she was moving around well and seemed like herself.

- Everyone has kinda noted it but there's just a bit of a difference when she's on the floor, no? And it's... I'm trying to find the right word without thesaurus.com, im just going to go with impressive to watch her shoot. Impressive is a bit of an understatement, but it's just that I know her release is quick, but most games I'm blown away at how quick. Like CD kicked it to her in the corner in the first half, and I actually thought CD was more open, but Azzi just drained it. Similarly I think it was in the 3rd, CW kicked it to her in semi transition, and there was kind of a defender there, but Azzi just drained it. And I think that's why Geno is always imploring her to just shoot, cuz open to her is not open to most people. In the summer during team USA she wasn't really consistently scoring, but she was making solid plays. Now when u see the scoring and the solid plays together, she really sticks out. Lastly, she missed a step back three, that almost made me fall out of my seat. Her footwork was great, and it was on target, just a bit long. I guess it's pointing out the obvious, but she's still probably just scratching the surface of what she can do.

Nika- really solid game from her. The pull-up 2 was amazing. The two threes were great. I had to rewatch the end of the game as some mentioned a little bit of a tizzy between her and a Xavier player. I did catch it on the rewatch. It just makes me lol. Never change Nika.

Amari and Piath- I'm actually going to start with Piath. I know she's going against the second string but I do think it's impressive how she is able to establish herself in the post and be a big target. She uses her body well and finishes well. I actually think she does it better than most of the post on the team. Anyways, really solid outing from her. Amari played well in her minutes as well. I like how confident she looks shooting from the outside. There was no hesitancy and that alone is something I'm super thrilled with.