I don't think it is so much her defense as her other game. The last time she was in a game, she turned the ball over and committed a foul within 60 seconds. Her defense is actually pretty good, and her rebounding is good. But she is 'dead to him " until next year, unless there is no choice.
All the starters were gassed. They played a noble and gritty game, building a 20 point lead out of pebbles and sticks, and holding on until Duke ran out of time. USC is much better than Duke, and is led by a freshman superstar. It seems our next game is a punishment, rather than a reward. Most of our players have been logging 40 minutes a game since the BE tournament. We'll see if there is magic in the air. We are going to need it. But we are here. And that is a superb testament to the team and the organization.
There is a reason the players are getting tired and worn down also. When the team had a twenty point lead would have been a good time to give someone a rest. Sometimes that practice rule needs to be pushed aside so the starters can get a much needed rest.
Sooooo true and that’s all I’m saying. We sit here saying this team is depleted and have no bench but don’t utilize the available players on the bench
That is where the assistant coaches should come in. It appears to me than none of them have a say in game in terms of substitution patterns.
Q don't play the same quality defense that Ash does. The fact that we won proves to me Geno absolutely knows what hes doing.
This isn't a rec league where everyone who signs up gets to play in the game. I agree that Q isn't shy, but she's a volume shooter and not an efficient scorer, and by most accounts her defense is subpar. Do you think either one of those traits is going to be an asset at this point in the tournament. Sure, giving her 2 minutes here and there as a substitute at the end of a half or right before a TV timeout might make some sense, but Geno clearly doesn't think a fresh Q is better than a tired Ash. As for Ice.... where did the version we saw in the Big East Tourney go? I can see each of them getting 4 minutes a game barring a lopsided score.
That’s pretty bleak. I think Geno is a bit more stubborn than me, and he’ll still be trying to win next game too, and the one after, and the one after that. We’re just trying to suggest to him that a minute or 2 of rest for a starter won’t be the end of the world. We don’t think he listens though.
I believe at the end of the game Ash drew two fouls when she tired, outhustled by the opponent on a drive to the basket, and she fouled from behind to give 2 three point plays. She was exhausted. I an agree you don't play someone who has not earned their minutes because you want them to feel ok about themselves, but you can still play them for 2 minutes because the starter needs a rest. Sub is not as good as the starter you remove for those 2 minutes, but the starter is better for the next 15 minutes because she got a rest. No different than you play Ice, even if she has not earned the minutes, because Edwards is in foul trouble. Being gassed is like being in foul trouble. Edwards at the end had to play soft because of 4 fouls, and suddenly a few of their in close shots were going in. Ice, with one or two fouls could have played more maybe foul, but no harm if she has made the shot miss, because they still only get 2 points if they make both foul shots. I think Nika and even Paige made some turnovers late because they were running on fumes. If Bettencourt was good enough to play the Princeton game last year, out of necessity, she is good enough to play for 1 minute at the end of the third quarter, so Paige gets a 3 or 4 minute break by the time the fourth quarter starts.
I forget, was the Princeton game during the NCAAT?
No it was right before the Maryland game during the regular season.
Cause we don't care about USC. Paige was absolutely wiped out at the end against Duke.
Ah, what if’s now……
I get your point in general terms. Do other teams shorten their rotations and have a player or two play the whole game or close to it? Yes some do, and some players have great endurance, but I think many players are not expected to have maximum effort every minute on the defensive end. Trade offs are made to keep a star in the game to do what they do best.
There are commercial time outs and the end quarter time outs that if you sub a player even for one minute of game time that can translate into a few minutes of real time. When players are tired they commit more fouls. When players are in foul trouble they can't be aggressive on defense. Duke cut the lead because we were tired and Edwards could not play aggressive D. To win the championship you need 4 win in 9 days, and NO team including UConn will win playing 6 players. As a side thought I am surprised that UConn doesn't play zone for parts of the game.
Sure she could! There is a vast gulf between Ash and Q in terms of defensive play! Q still does not know the defense. Two years from now Q may well be btter than Ash on defense but not now.
Didn't Notre Dame win a few years ago with 6 players?
Shade knows what Geno wants on the defensive end of the court. she might not have scored but did her job on defense.
