Can we use our bench, please?!

[CL82]

You forget. We are using our bench. Muhl, Senechal and Griffin were all slated to sub in for Bueckers, Fudd and Ducharme. With Brady UConn was going to have a 9 man rotation. But for the 2nd year in a row things didn't work out that way.
And now you expect Geno to wave a magic wand and turn the end of benchers into valued members of the rotation simply by playing them a lot in games? Geno never uses actual games as training. Players train and prove themselves at practice and earn game time.

I assume you’re “you” is directed at the board rather than me since I certainly never suggested that.

Regardless, I often think of your central point. We often say, our second five is good enough to compete with most teams. This year we’re pretty close to proving that concept.

 

[Woof 101]

I dont care who replaces who..but somebody needs to replace somebody for at least a few mins at a time. If we take a couple losses because of it who cares??

Original thread post.

Like I said before if we take a couple losses who cares. Need our starters rested for the long run.

Post from the OP at #10

Has anyone suggested losing on purpose? Why is that even being imputed?

No attack here or disrespect but this happens a lot here. Folks should read a thread before commenting. With all due respect I love the use of imputed as someone with a weak vocabulary I got a new word!
Most all who follow the team realize going to the bench today would have resulted in a loss. To begin a game Geno is already only 7 deep with two starters on the bench along with another two that would be getting time for sure, all walking wounded.
No team at this level goes deep into the bench or deep into the post season.

 

[#1florida]

Thankfully we won, but I'm sorry we need to use our bench. Not only because we are fatigued....but maybe...just MAYBE someone could provide a spark off the bench that we weren't getting for long stretches of time. Hmmmm?!?!

We need to keep our players fresh (and healthy) for the March run. Running them into the ground for an extra win or 2 along the way is not the way to go. Anyone else losing their mind over this at all??

I think Geno should RETIRE. YES, RETIRE. There are plenty of people on the Boneyard, that can coach the team, way better than he can. Forget his 38 years of coaching, and his 11 National Championships, someone should make application for his job, NOW. If you agree with me, get a life.

 

[Rb335]

Geno has always used a short rotation, it’s part of what he does. This year is to the extreme because of injuries. Yes we need to use the bench more to get players rest. But today, using the bench likely puts the game in jeopardy. And this game does mean something, it likely secures the big east regular season title. Worth playing a tight rotation to me.

And the idea that CD uses the bench more liberally needs an asterisk. Yes, she’s willing to sub more frequently, but the games she filled in for this year weren’t remotely close in score. Had we been up 30 at the half, I bet the rotation would have changed.

 

[#1florida]

I think Geno should RETIRE. YES, RETIRE. There are plenty of people on the Boneyard, that can coach the team, way better than he can. Forget his 38 years of coaching, and his 11 National Championships, someone should make application for his job, NOW. If you agree with me, get a life.

CL82, did you even understand my post?

 

[CTrefugee]

Thankfully we won, but I'm sorry we need to use our bench. Not only because we are fatigued....but maybe...just MAYBE someone could provide a spark off the bench that we weren't getting for long stretches of time. Hmmmm?!?!

We need to keep our players fresh (and healthy) for the March run. Running them into the ground for an extra win or 2 along the way is not the way to go. Anyone else losing their mind over this at all??

Bettencourt is not ready for a game like this and Amari is just plain not ready. A brilliant job of coaching an unbelievably gutsy team.

 

[WiseOne]

CL82, did you even understand my post?

I think CL82 likes the fact you said “if you agree with me, get a life”.

 

[oldhusky]

Since everybody is debating tired starters vs. fresh rested bench players, I thought I would bring up another factor I think is being overlooked.

When you try to get 35-40 minutes out of your players some of your strategy options are also taken away. If you are using just one substitute like today, your hands are tied for a couple of minutes. Regardless of what is happening in the game, you have to wait until the player you just took out is rested enough to go back in before you can make any move.

At that point you are also limited regarding strategic moves depending on the game situation. Rather your substitution pattern is dependent on minutes management, not game strategy, you can only make one substitution at a time, and have to wait a couple of minutes for the next one.

Timeouts for strategic purposes probably get sacrificed as well, because you need to time your timeouts for giving a little rest, without having to take players out. The whole approach shifts from game strategy substitutions and timeouts, to a role of minute manager.

I'm just saying when your bench plays this little, it limits Geno' options as a coach as well. Now clearly he trusts his current starting 5, and doesn't really trust any of the currently available bench options, but he pretty much has to leave his starters on their own, figure it out for yourself because I can't blow a timeout for teaching or correcting, I need to plan them for your rest.

I presume Ayanna will someday achieve a playable status that has Geno wanting to use her more, but she seems to be wrestling with being too aggressive, and then too passive when she tries to avoid fouls. Also she seems to rush things and doesn't let the game slow down for her. Finding the proper balance and trade offs is a work in progress that is taking a lot longer than I thought, but the talent is clearly there.

If Geno could at least trust her for 15-20 minutes as the sole substitute, it would buy us some time until Azzi and Caroline return.

 

[Dublin]

Like I said before if we take a couple losses who cares. Need our starters rested for the long run.

We are so fortunate that we have a coach who plays to win the game. He and the staff have adjusted the practice schedule to give the players the rest they need between wins. They all will be ready for Providence in 3 days and then SC in 4 more days.

The bench, if all were healthy, could be a Top 20 team themselves.

 

[Forego]

When Geno has a long bench he has made wholesale substitutions. Okay, it has been a while, but I can still hear Bob Picozzi saying (on several occasions) that Geno has just tied the NCAA record for most substitutions following a play stoppage (5).

This thread is the latest in a series of discussions on the pros and cons of giving bench players more game and resting the starters. I do not see resolution to this matter until we have a longer bench.

 

[diggerfoot]

Geno has always used a short rotation, it’s part of what he does. This year is to the extreme because of injuries. Yes we need to use the bench more to get players rest. But today, using the bench likely puts the game in jeopardy. And this game does mean something, it likely secures the big east regular season title. Worth playing a tight rotation to me.

And the idea that CD uses the bench more liberally needs an asterisk. Yes, she’s willing to sub more frequently, but the games she filled in for this year weren’t remotely close in score. Had we been up 30 at the half, I bet the rotation would have changed.

I suppose it depends upon how you define a short rotation, but five out of eleven championship years had a rotation greater than eight (‘00, ‘09, ‘10, ‘13, ‘14), three of these were ten or more. All the others had a rotation of eight.

I consider part of the rotation as getting at least 5 minutes in all games, including against the best competition. Having said that, I’m not certain that Rose, Better or Hunt got many minutes in the ‘95 championship game, though Sales and Berube certainly did.

This is not to argue against short rotations, I often refer to the 2018 Notre Dame team, just to assert that a variety of factors determines the length of the rotation and keeping it short is not as primary to Auriemma’s strategy as many has made it out to be.

 

[mudblood]

We are so fortunate that we have a coach who plays to win the game. He and the staff have adjusted the practice schedule to give the players the rest they need between wins. They all will be ready for Providence in 3 days and then SC in 4 more days.

The bench, if all were healthy, could be a Top 20 team themselves.

I disagree. The current (injured) bench, if all healthy, would be top 3, not top 20

 

[DennieEddy]

During the fourth quarter I was hoping that Azzi would stand up, throw down her crutches, and say put me in coach!

I'm ready to play, today!

 

[DennieEddy]

If only there was a way to pay somebody to make those decisions... Pay them a lot... and then get lucky and hire someone who's really really good at it. Wouldn't that be cool.

Can't think of anybody who would even want to do that?

Second thought, Boneyard is full of them.

 

[Zorro]

As for the BE Tourney, Geno will not have to use his starters for 40 minutes until maybe the final game, even if (gasp) neither caroline nor Azzi is back. Nova is the only team that can give the Huskies that kind of game.

 

[darkstar1]

You can’t possibly believe that.

 

[oldude]

For what it’s worth, Maddy Siegrist played all 40 minutes today and Lucy Olsen played 38. Maybe someone should tell Denise Dillon to play her bench more.

In BIG games you play your stars as much as you need to in order to win the game. UConn has 5 stars who all played big minutes today and still had enough in the tank to turn a 6 point 4th qtr deficit into a 5 point win. This was not a game to dole out PT to UConn’s limited bench beyond the 5-6 minutes to Ayanna in the 2nd qtr.

 

[NY Fan]

It may be DII but you are playing, competing and not watching someone else win the championships. To me competing is way more important than winning. But I never won but always competed and that was fine with me.

If posters have the time, and only for perspective, I recommend watching another GOAT John Wooden (who Geno has admired and praised) and his definition of Winning vs Succeeding: I'm not suggesting UConn or Geno change the program's philosophy, but to underscore your point about competing.

To be clear, I too agree that neither Ines nor Amari would have been of any value in today's game. My thesis had been that if they had been played more often in blowout games, their skill level might have grown and positioned them to contribute today - if only to provide breathers for the starters. It's not provable. and there are no perfect answers.

 

[freshler40]

For what it’s worth, Maddy Siegrist played all 40 minutes today and Lucy Olsen played 38. Maybe someone should tell Denise Dillon to play her bench more.

In BIG games you play your stars as much as you need to in order to win the game. UConn has 5 stars who all played big minutes today and still had enough in the tank to turn a 6 point 4th qtr deficit into a 5 point win. This was not a game to dole out PT to UConn’s limited bench beyond the 5-6 minutes to Ayanna in the 2nd qtr.

Geno is also playing for positioning in the year end tourneys, key planning for playing reserves, resting between quick scheduling etc. You have to win key games. The coach has been down this long road before and knows the game.

 

[Skeets]

You're all but losing on purpose if you sit the starters for the bench in a close game when there's a very obvious talent drop-off right now.

Although occasionally the bench has given moments of brilliance, unfortunately they have not been consistent enough. And honestly they would get ripped to shreds by fans for it if they were put in the game and UConn ended up losing.

Can you imagine if the 3 available players on the bench were subbed into the game and it resulted in a guaranteed loss? The BY would explode. Nan would go nuts deleting posts using very words. She would probably have to shut down the whole yard.

Let's put this in perspective, these 18 to 23 year olds are conditioned for very demanding 2 hour practices for 2 or 3 days and then given a break for a 40 minute basketball game. Do they get tired? Of course, but they are conditioned to handle it. UConn has won some games because of their conditioning. And even the practices have gotten a little lighter at this point in the season.

 

[Skeets]

I think Geno should RETIRE. YES, RETIRE. There are plenty of people on the Boneyard, that can coach the team, way better than he can. Forget his 38 years of coaching, and his 11 National Championships, someone should make application for his job, NOW. If you agree with me, get a life.

I get it, but sarcasm is very often misunderstood on the BY. You some sprinkle in smiley faces or something to diffuse those who are combustible.

 

[Littlemin]

If posters have the time, and only for perspective, I recommend watching another GOAT John Wooden (who Geno has admired and praised) and his definition of Winning vs Succeeding: I'm not suggesting UConn or Geno change the program's philosophy, but to underscore your point about competing.

To be clear, I too agree that neither Ines nor Amari would have been of any value in today's game. My thesis had been that if they had been played more often in blowout games, their skill level might have grown and positioned them to contribute today - if only to provide breathers for the starters. It's not provable. and there are no perfect answers.

Not a big fan of Wooden to say the least. Wooden, for all his “life” advice, became legendary because of Sam Gilbert, an LA contractor and the money behind the elite recruits at UCLA. There will be some who don’t like to hear it, but it’s true. Wooden himself, when confronted with the evidence by the LA Times, gave a response worthy of any politician, paraphrasing a Lincoln quote on trust and admitting maybe he “trusted too much.” Trust to Wooden meant looking the other way to maintain plausible deniability.

 

[cwaduke]

Geno is a great coach and I wouldn't claim to know more. I do prefer CD's substitution patterns.

 

[ochoopsfan]

How can the bench help?