Xavier Postgame Thread | Page 3 | The Boneyard

Xavier Postgame Thread

SVCBeercats

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Patrick Mahomes has nothing on Paige when it came to her passes today. They were money!
The two long passes to CW were spectacular. CW's catches were great. Reminded me of the Kelly Faris to Maya Moore long "bombs." When asked about it; Kelly demured saying "I just throw them out there and Maya goes and gets them."
 
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Didn’t watch the game but when did Paige roll her ankle and how much did she play ?
She threw a leaping 3/4 court pass to CW, and rolled it coming down.
 
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I doubt that the last minute or two of the game was that instrumental to Nika’s development that Autumn couldn’t have taken her place.
Why do you doubt it? :)

If that last minute or two isn't important then why not have them goof-off in those last couple of minutes? Because if it's not instrumental in Nika's development then why would it be instrumental in anyone else's development too?

You're a fan and can declare a game being over as early as the 1st tip-off of the game. An elite coach won't ever coach that way.

We've read posts from those stating for example "put Mir in more because she can't get better if she doesn't play" or "We at UCONN strive for excellence." -- Well now we have teams that are still trying and hustling even when game is decided. How is it that we can say UCONN is striving for excellence when we think the last couple of minutes don't matter and someone like Mir has an opportunity to compete vs a team that is still trying hard? Doesn't she deserve this opportunity to see what she can do vs a team still competing hard?

It's an opportunity for example to see how Mir and Griff for example can play together. How is it that when an opposing team is still giving effort that even down to the last possession isn't a benefit to the bench players? I think players like Griff and Mir deserve that extra time despite whether a fan wants to declare the game over or not. The coach hasn't declared his coaching time to be over and usually neither has the other coach/team.

IMO an elite coach who strives for excellence wouldn't think the way of the last minute being non-instrumental at all.
 
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Nika was on the phone with the league after the game complaining. Still has to learn that she is allowed to take shots other than 3s. Great presence.
I wondered who she was talking to. I assumed it was her parents but your suggestion is very possible. I saw Anna—her biggest booster after Geno—try to calm her down. I think Geno knows enough by now to keep his distance if he can. Love, love, love this girl.
 
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I wondered who she was talking to. I assumed it was her parents but your suggestion is very possible. I saw Anna—her biggest booster after Geno—try to calm her down. I think Geno knows enough by now to keep his distance if he can. Love, love, love this girl.
Rumor has it that Nika was on the phone giving a piece of her mind to someone she knows very well

1613866983123.png
 
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Got to wonder when you have the Xavier team having problems all year with Covid, why in h___ they open their arena to fans and cheerleaders.

Nice they kept rotating balls when they came into contact with fans, but the refs handled the 'contaminated ball and the new ball so if there was any virus on one ball the ref immediately transferred it to the new ball - oops!

Sorry, but I worry about our team and while they can control their own environment, they depend on others when they are on the road.
I will be so pissed if someone on the UConn team tests positive. Hardly anyone in the stands was wearing a mask correctly and the opponents have played four games since Xmas. One doesn’t have to wonder why. Totally alarming.
 
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I believe Aaliyah is only 18, making her one of the youngest players on this team. She'll be a beast when she grows up. ;)
She already is a beast. Can't imaging how physical she will be in 3 years.
 
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I think the thing about this team is they know if someone is off or on and they try and cover for the player who might be off or have a tough matchup. Nika is starting to find creases and drive hard to the hoop and dish to another. This will help us offensively if she stays under control. Liv wirh her improving outside shot and her passing are good signs. I liked that she used her quickness to drive to the hoop. Why Aubrey got yanked twice quickly and then subed for the final 2 minutes. Was there a message today? Maybe?
 
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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 passestournament, subject to Anna’s potential availability.
Nikas rebounds were a joy to behold
Geno will work her out of those unnecessarily overly cute and clever passes
 
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Loved to see CW looking more confident and getting some buckets tonight. Sometimes she looks hesitant; almost like she’s taking a deep breathe before shooting the 3. She’s much better when she steps into it confidentially.
Now let’s hope this carries over against tough teams....
 
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My 2 cents worth overall and the guards:

We continue to play better defense. Switching and recognition is good. Also, good to see we can put 80+ on the board without a good game shooting from PB. GA has hit on some good freshman with three playing huge roles for us and doing it pretty darn well. The below comments are made given that this Xavier team is not very good at all. In the tournament, we will be playing teams that have better players at every position than Xavier.

PB – has she hit the freshman wall? Just kidding. The good is that she got all good shots but just missed more than she usually does. Plays like a senior. Good floor game as well.

NM – gets better and better. She is so comfortable now that at times she is trying to do more, which for me, is good in these games. Better to try out what extra you can do against weak competition and get it out of your system. Somebody told her not to play that close-up face defense she usually plays. She gave a bit of space this time and as a result, I don’t think she even picked up a foul in this game.

She made some terrific steals and some really nifty passes. Her teammates let her down on at least two occasions, otherwise she has 5 plus assists with a bushel of steals and only 2 TOs. Think about that…..from a freshman guard who is handling the ball the majority of the game and making many decisions on every possession. She is a real pest for the opposing team, especially if they try to underestimate her.

Love the way she rebounds and then immediately pushes the ball. I think at times she is scared to shoot layups. Throws up some really ugly bricks. One made three away from what I hope we can get out of her.

CW – good stuff after another rocky start. It amazes me the ugly bricks she throws up. I think GA must know she needs to get this out of her system early in the game because after that, with the exception of one more ugly brick, she was terrific in scoring/shooting the 3.

I’m not sure of the rule, but she would have had her third three from the corner if the refs didn’t call a timeout for the Xavier kid hurt previously. If it counted, she shoots 3 for 6 from 3. That is great shooting, even if the 3 misses are all bricks/airballs. As it is, 2-5 is great as well.

She has a deal going with PB to run like heck down the floor and get some easy buckets. Great hands and finishing going to the hoop once again. I hope she continues to build on this! Defense was a ‘hit and miss’.

Forgot to say originally that CW got her 3s in the flow of the offense. No thinking. She received the pass back after the pick and stroked it. Another good sign. :)
 
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My 2 cents in the posts and wings:

Liv – solid game. Didn’t shoot the ball much, but rolled to the basket nice, showed terrific hands, rebounded very well and continues to pass the ball very well. Teams are going to see that if they choose to leave her alone in the high post, she will have free and easier passing angles, not to mention she can shoot open FT line shots as well.

EW – good floor game. Did a bit of everything. Rebounded the ball very well. If she can rebound the ball this well against top teams, it will help a lot. For the first time in a long while, I did not see any ‘what the heck’ moments from her!

AE- wow wow wow!! Kid is growing right before our eyes. Enjoy it! I mentioned a couple weeks ago, that I thought she was ready for a breakout game and now she has had a few of them. Five things I really like:
  • No more ‘bull in a china shop’ moments. Seems like it’s been a long time since anybody has mentioned this. That is a great sign as she is not picking up cheap fouls.
  • Hit her one and only jumper from the FT line! Also hit her FTs! That is great news as well! It will really help because she is so explosive going to the basket as well.
  • Rebounded like she was possessed. Has a real knack for this.
  • Did she have any TOs?? Seemed like a mistake-free game to me from a freshie!!!
  • Continues to run like a deer down the floor to get easy buckets and wear down the opposing bigs.
AG – GA treating her like a yo-yo..constantly in and out of the game. She comes in twice and the first possession both times she makes something happen – steals, blocks, scores, rebounds, etc. Her minutes are compromised now with the emergence of AE.

Mir – good game. Looks really small out there to me but plays bigger than her size. I don’t expect her to play much or at all in big tournament games though.

PG – I really thought GA would give her some more minutes. I wish he would in this stretch of games against weak teams. She may show that she can give us a few minutes if and when Liv gets into foul trouble while having the option of leaving AE at the 4. Then we can also use her fouls and not AE’s on the opposing big. I’m not saying 20 minutes, I’m saying 5-10 meaningful minutes.
 
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Why do you doubt it? :)

If that last minute or two isn't important then why not have them goof-off in those last couple of minutes? Because if it's not instrumental in Nika's development then why would it be instrumental in anyone else's development too?

You're a fan and can declare a game being over as early as the 1st tip-off of the game. An elite coach won't ever coach that way.

We've read posts from those stating for example "put Mir in more because she can't get better if she doesn't play" or "We at UCONN strive for excellence." -- Well now we have teams that are still trying and hustling even when game is decided. How is it that we can say UCONN is striving for excellence when we think the last couple of minutes don't matter and someone like Mir has an opportunity to compete vs a team that is still trying hard? Doesn't she deserve this opportunity to see what she can do vs a team still competing hard?

It's an opportunity for example to see how Mir and Griff for example can play together. How is it that when an opposing team is still giving effort that even down to the last possession isn't a benefit to the bench players? I think players like Griff and Mir deserve that extra time despite whether a fan wants to declare the game over or not. The coach hasn't declared his coaching time to be over and usually neither has the other coach/team.

IMO an elite coach who strives for excellence wouldn't think the way of the last minute being non-instrumental at all.

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.
 
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My 2 cents worth overall and the guards:

We continue to play better defense. Switching and recognition is good. Also, good to see we can put 80+ on the board without a good game shooting from PB. GA has hit on some good freshman with three playing huge roles for us and doing it pretty darn well. The below comments are made given that this Xavier team is not very good at all. In the tournament, we will be playing teams that have better players at every position than Xavier.

PB – has she hit the freshman wall? Just kidding. The good is that she got all good shots but just missed more than she usually does. Plays like a senior. Good floor game as well.

NM – gets better and better. She is so comfortable now that at times she is trying to do more, which for me, is good in these games. Better to try out what extra you can do against weak competition and get it out of your system. Somebody told her not to play that close-up face defense she usually plays. She gave a bit of space this time and as a result, I don’t think she even picked up a foul in this game.

She made some terrific steals and some really nifty passes. Her teammates let her down on at least two occasions, otherwise she has 5 plus assists with a bushel of steals and only 2 TOs. Think about that…..from a freshman guard who is handling the ball the majority of the game and making many decisions on every possession. She is a real pest for the opposing team, especially if they try to underestimate her.

Love the way she rebounds and then immediately pushes the ball. I think at times she is scared to shoot layups. Throws up some really ugly bricks. One made three away from what I hope we can get out of her.

CW – good stuff after another rocky start. It amazes me the ugly bricks she throws up. I think GA must know she needs to get this out of her system early in the game because after that, with the exception of one more ugly brick, she was terrific in scoring/shooting the 3.

I’m not sure of the rule, but she would have had her third three from the corner if the refs didn’t call a timeout for the Xavier kid hurt previously. If it counted, she shoots 3 for 6 from 3. That is great shooting, even if the 3 misses are all bricks/airballs. As it is, 2-5 is great as well.

She has a deal going with PB to run like heck down the floor and get some easy buckets. Great hands and finishing going to the hoop once again. I hope she continues to build on this! Defense was a ‘hit and miss’.

Forgot to say originally that CW got her 3s in the flow of the offense. No thinking. She received the pass back after the pick and stroked it. Another good sign. :)
Just for the record, that's Jazz "speaking" not me. lol
 
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Well played game, but hard to get excited when the competition is so bad.
Bestwick made a comment after the game that "surprised" that we won by so much with Bueckers "only" scoring 11 points.
Was he watching the same game I was? Paige stopped shooting. She had a point blank layup and passed it to a open player outside.

Let me say this again, in these lopsided games, Paige has no interest in scoring points, only getting points for her team mates.
 
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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 Nika plays well, every teammate out scores her.
 

RockyMTblue2

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I wondered who she was talking to. I assumed it was her parents but your suggestion is very possible. I saw Anna—her biggest booster after Geno—try to calm her down. I think Geno knows enough by now to keep his distance if he can. Love, love, love this girl.
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.
 

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