Xavier Postgame Thread

[jazz]

Just for the record, that's Jazz "speaking" not me. lol

I was wondering when you might say that....just in case I say something really stupid I can say you highjacked my handle!

 

[jazz]

If Nika plays well, every teammate out scores her.

still can't go ohhhh for 4 on threes though and a couple of them were not even close....

 

[jazz]

She threw a leaping 3/4 court pass to CW, and rolled it coming down.

This ankle problem she has worries me.

I had the same issues and it knocked me out for several games. I struggled with rolling them like she does. Hurts like hell I can tell you that, but usually you can play on it. Problem is they start to compound a bit when you've done it a few times until you can't really play at all or as well for about 2-3 weeks.

That is about where the similarities between PB and I end!

 

[hoophuskee]

Seems that Kara Walters put her finger on what was going on with Mir: Likely a "issue with practice." So Coach Geno let her out of his dog house, and she responds with5 points, 3 rebounds, and an assist in 8 minutes. Nicely done! So much for the notion that she just doesn't fit on the court due to her "size." Outscored Nika. If the "attitude" problem is fixed, she should get more minutes for the remainder of the season.

If this how you think okay - I hope you're right - if you want to hold this game as a barometer. I tried explaining Mir is a low post player. And I tried to explain guard play- instead with one of your comments - you are mentioning how Mir outscored Nika (However, (Nika does have to learn to shoot more consistently. You can't only be a passer and play big minutes on an elite team year-over-year). But I don't know why you mentioned Nika vs Mir in terms of points scored. If you think that that's a barometer as to which player Nika or Mir scores more points -- I don't know what to say . I mentioned you have post player bias. (I have guard bias. It's why at times I'm okay with a small lineup and why I was so excited early on when I saw Nika performing well enough. She does need to shoot better than what she's showing however.). . .

Anyhow, I hope Mir goes on to do everything you want and more importantly Mir does everything this team needs in which she is one of the super-lead catalysts this year for winning a National Championship. It's not me against you. I hope she is awesome.

I just think the next few big games you'll be asking the same questions again. And the years following I think you'll ask the same questions regarding other post players too. Whatever. I hope Mir is awesome. She does have an amazing 1st step with elite athleticism. And potentially, with experience, become a huge weapon. Just want UCONN to win a championship as the top goal. Don't care how they do it.

 

[HopJim]

Nika does things that in years past would have gotten her yanked. I have to believe she does not get yanked because Geno wants to preserve the fire while she learns to jettison some of the wildness.

Suspect the outcome will relate more to minutes in the playoffs versus getting "yanked" while playing a 3rd tier team. No accident Nika's minutes in big games are reduced.

 

[Littlemin]

Suspect the outcome will relate more to minutes in the playoffs versus getting "yanked" while playing a 3rd tier team. No accident Nika's minutes in big games are reduced.

Well, Uconn has played three games that IMO could be called “big” games; Muhl sat against Tennessee in which Auriemma has publicly said was a conscious choice by him to send her a message. She was fourth in minutes against Arkansas; at 25 minutes, she had 5 more than Ono, 6 more than Griffin and 12 more than Edwards. Edwards fouled out in 13 minutes in that game so if anything one would think that would have increased minutes for Ono and Griffin. In addition, she tied for second in minutes against South Carolina with Edwards, both at 35 minutes out of 45. Only Bueckers, who played the entire game, had more than those two. I hardly think that correlates to reduced minutes in big games.

 

[Longtime fan]

Didn’t watch the game but when did Paige roll her ankle and how much did she play ?

She rolled it on a full court pass to Williams. She grimaced and limped off. Sat for a while. Then returned and played the rest of the game ( save for a few moments at the end ). She appeared "fine" after the incident...but her shooting was off. I wonder if the two factors are related.

 

[Longtime fan]

Some thoughts on the Xavier game:

• Per Geno, “You don’t become a good March team in March.” While UConn’s offense was inconsistent at times, the Huskies defense was suffocating once again. I felt bad for the Musketeers who’s season has been battered by Covid stoppages, and they were clearly never in the game.
• Did anyone else start clutching their chest when Paige rolled her ankle again? I sure hope this isn’t one of those lingering problems that dogs her all season.
• Liv came out with a purpose today. She was 4/5, with 5 rbs, 4 asts & 1 blk in the 1st qtr.
• Christyn seems to almost play her way into the game. Her first two shots were a brick and an air-ball, after which she was 9/14 with 22 pts.
• Nika might want to take it easy with no look passes, particularly when an easy pass to an open teammate would be a better option, although I must say I love the fact that the shortest Husky on the court had 8 rebounds, many of which were grabbed in traffic.
• Aaliyah with a hard-earned double-double; 16pts & 11rbs. She is one tough Canadian.
• Evina's stat line: 8 pts, 9 rbs, 5 ast, 3 stl, 2 blk. She is the "Swiss Army Knife."
• It certainly looks like Geno has settled on a 7-player rotation heading into the tournament, subject to Anna’s potential availability.

A few additions of miscellany; Piath got a few garbage minutes and looked ( to me ) as though she is gaining confidence. And Autumn got not a second in a 40 point blow-out. Hers will be a fascinating story if she remains at UCONN. Because she dropped yet another notch on the depth chart when Saylor arrived, and will drop another when ANNA returns to health. And forget about next year. She needs to add 25 pounds of muscle, and hit 80% from the arc to ever get a look.

 

[The CDR-Ret]

Kia was incredibly fierce. Remember against ND when Marina got into it with Napheesa, and Kia came running over. Marina backed up very quickly.

That's the hockey player in Kia, and everyone knows not to confront her as it will not go very well for them...

 

[Jingo]

Liv came out with a purpose today. She was 4/5, with 5 rbs, 4 asts & 1 blk in the 1st qtr.

Nothing new .. Liv did the same in the prior game vs St Johns scoring 11 of our first 21 points [21-8] .. outscoring St Johns by herself .. she pretty much decided the game on her own, eh?

 

[Boreifs]

still can't go ohhhh for 4 on threes though and a couple of them were not even close....

Geno has quite often made a distinction between shooting well and playing well.

 

[Ozimoto]

After the game, Geno said he was impressed with Nika's ball handling when that girl was harassing her. Geno said Nika got a "little pissy" about it. I would not want Nika angry with me! There is no telling what Nika told that kid concerning her health moving forward.

Probably in Croatian.

 

[jazz]

Geno has quite often made a distinction between shooting well and playing well.

yes but you also have to take it into context. i am happy with the game NM has played. I'm sure that GA hopes that she doesn't miss all of her 3s. If you read my post, then you know I think NM had a very good floor game.

I just hope she, as well as any fan or coach, hits at least one of those 3s...