Third phase of the season?

[mhshuskies]

Geno mentioned in post game that the starters are getting longer time periods on the floor and it appears that Stewie and K have upped their game the last few times out. So does that indicate UCONN is in their third phase of the season? The first being finding the identity and getting comfortable, the second being developing the bench and building depth and the third championship/tourney mode?

 

[DriveLH]

Yes!

 

[UcMiami]

Geno breaks down his best players all year long, harping on everything they are not doing well and pushing them until the end of the season. Then he switches to emphasizing all the things they do well. I think Maya said that for the regular season it felt she could never do anything right, but come tournament time she miraculous transformed into the best player in the country ... at least according to the book of Geno!

 

[DobbsRover2]

Sure, but as Kara and Meghan constantly harp on, that development stage is still extending into this late season stage. With Kara it seems to be more about offensive rebound (UConn lost that battle again last night) and a few wrinkles on defense to take away everything that opponent can conceivably do, like step back for a long 3.
With Meghan it always seems to be that "recognizing that open player in the paint" and delivering the ball at that right split-second moment that MoJeff, Morgan, KML, and Stewie are so practiced at, and which Saniya and Kia can't ever seem to do enough to satisfy Meghan. Maybe, but I also think that these players recognize that defenders are sometimes setting a trap or will react quickly enough to take away the pass, so they look for better options. But the perfection that the upper class has will come in time as the minutes add up for the younger players.

But that third phase will certainly be completely set by the time the AACT rolls around, soon.