The Bigs need to start blocking shots again

[dogpause]

Saw a lot of good things yesterday, inlcuding Paige and Azzie taking on more responsibility, interior offense, and aggressive on-ball defense. However, there is one area where we suddenly regressed, and that's our interior defense.

During the last dozen games of the season our Bigs were aggressively blocking shots. They finally got away from that ridulous 80's style Hope Defense where they stand with their arms straight up, mimicing a telephone pole, and let offensive players go around them at will. Then, hope for a missed layup. It doesn't work and the number of layups we gifted yesterday was ridiculous. Teams know that if you get to the baseline, UConn will concede an uncontested shot, or will foul you.

But yesterday, they were back at it. This is not only ineffective, but it results in fouls because they are close to and in contact with the opposing player, but with no potential upside. Instead, they need to allow a bit of space and go up for blocks. This is what Liv and Aaliyah were doing in the second half of the season. This is how most teams with quality bigs play. I couldn't beleive what I was seeing yesterday, it was a huge step backward and raised a major red flag.

If this continues, we will not be effective against Stanford or SC or NC State. Please, get back to being aggressive, play to defend, not simply to avoid a foul. Play like Adama, not like my mama.

 

[freshler40]

Generally agree but the way some refs whistle the game we are likely to send our big to the bench early. I see a wide variety of how games are being refed. The NCAA should review these games, let the players determine who wins the game.

 

[dogpause]

True, the officiating is an embarrasement for womens basketball. But to block shots effectively, you actually want some space between you and the defender, so as long as you reach up, and not out, you generally avoid foul calls, except for those resulting simply from incompetence on the part of the officials.

BTW, Geno made a comment during the in-game interview -- something to the effect that, "We get a 15-point lead and then everything becomes a foul." Not sure if he meant the players get sloppy, or if it was a subtle dig at the officiating. It seems as if the refs believe it is their duty to keep the score close, rather than adjudicate based on the rules.

 

[visitingcock]

Interior defense is more than just shot blocking.

 

[Glenn]

Huh? What problem are you trying to fix? Their two bigs were held to fewer points and shot worse than their seaon average. We out rebounded them, something that often suffers when you go for shot blocks. Their sckri g was from outside and mid range. Very odd analysis

 

[HuskylnSC]

Nope. Fans like blocks, but to focus on blocks results in a net negative. Both posts played a very smart game and still ended up with 3 fouls each a fourth foul on either results in some bench time. One of the reasons they had 24 rebounds is that the hands up defense they played left them in good position for rebounds. The momentum required in blocking shots ends with the player moving away from the hoop.

 

[JoePgh]

Also, if you leave your feet to block a shot, you are vulnerable to a pump fake and then a foul or an and-one when you come down on the shooter when she is actually shooting.

In telephone pole mode, you will still get blocks or deflections against smaller players when they don't shoot high enough to get the ball over your fingertips, and you will always make the opponent hit a very difficult shot: high enough to clear your fingertips but still accurate enough to hit the basket -- and to do that without getting a clear view of the rim.

 

[HopJim]

???? For years, we have virtually coached, via the Boneyard, ONO and other bigs to keep their hands up and not swat at the shooter. Worked great yesterday - don't try to fix what isn't broken.

 

[GoUconn7961]

I think I’m going to continue to let Geno coach the team.

 

[oldhusky]

The problem is fouls. Most of the season we have gone with a limited three big rotation, which as long as all three are available and healthy has worked pretty well. Two of those three are foul prone (Liv and Aaliyah), and most of our opponents have not had a dominant interior scorer, although some have.

My point is at this stage facing Cunane, and potentially Brink and Boston, facing very talented bigs is the norm not the exception. Staying out of foul trouble will be far more of a challenge, and with a three big rotation we are vulnerable there. Now that we have six good healthy guards, it seems to me the argument for giving the bigs more help with double teams is much stronger than it would be if we had one or two more bigs we could count on.

Don't get me wrong, if Liv, Aailyah or Dorka think they have a good chance at a block later in the game and they are not in foul trouble, of course go for it, but early in the game I think they have to be more cautious.

 

[Conndog]

Saw a lot of good things yesterday, inlcuding Paige and Azzie taking on more responsibility, interior offense, and aggressive on-ball defense. However, there is one area where we suddenly regressed, and that's our interior defense.

During the last dozen games of the season our Bigs were aggressively blocking shots. They finally got away from that ridulous 80's style Hope Defense where they stand with their arms straight up, mimicing a telephone pole, and let offensive players go around them at will. Then, hope for a missed layup. It doesn't work and the number of layups we gifted yesterday was ridiculous. Teams know that if you get to the baseline, UConn will concede an uncontested shot, or will foul you.

But yesterday, they were back at it. This is not only ineffective, but it results in fouls because they are close to and in contact with the opposing player, but with no potential upside. Instead, they need to allow a bit of space and go up for blocks. This is what Liv and Aaliyah were doing in the second half of the season. This is how most teams with quality bigs play. I couldn't beleive what I was seeing yesterday, it was a huge step backward and raised a major red flag.

If this continues, we will not be effective against Stanford or SC or NC State. Please, get back to being aggressive, play to defend, not simply to avoid a foul. Play like Adama, not like my mama.

Kind of disagree. While blocks are great to see, the bigs that we may face in upcoming games such as Cunane and Boston are excellent free throw shooters. Keep them out of position but don't worry about blocking their shots, or even shots of other players- too easy for foul to be called. Right now, we aren't really deep with the bigs. I wish Dorka were playing better, and I think she will, but I'm not confident if Liv has to sit due to foul trouble and Dorka comes in to replace her. If we box out and continue to play the excellent helping/switching defense, we should do okay.

 

[mbr33ct]

Stop trying to analyze each game, at this point in time it's one game at a time. UConn did beat Indiana by 17 points...didn't they? I thought the "bigs" played a great game, didn't they grab 10 offensive rebounds and 3 blocks?