Ewing Theory

[Waquoit]

Anyone hear of the Ewing Theory of basketball? It's been around for about 25 years and had it's roots in Storrs. Has the Ewing Theory come back to Gampel?

 

[Alydar]

Interesting theory. It didn't apply last season and there has been a lot of personnel change. UConn this season has had several months to adjust to the loss. I think the response to Bueckers this season is due to the current players.

 

[LarryLegend]

IMHO there has been too much reliance on letting Paige do it. This year’s bunch is learning how to do it without her. When she returns it could be a thing to see

 

[JavaMan]

While the "theory" actually make sense to me, I doubt that its genesis was with Patrick and the Hoyas. It would have likely arrived decades, if not centuries before.

 

[HuskylnSC]

It's nothing to do with Georgetown. It references the Knicks going to the NBA finals after Patrick was injured. Just refreshed my leaking memory. Bill Simmons wrote the article in 2000 defining the theory and listing other occurrences.

 

[eebmg]

In Paige's freshman year, we had no other really reliable shooter (both 3pt and mid range) so of course, Paige had to take over when sets broke down. We had some scorers but no other knockdown shooters. Sophomore year, Caroline and Azzi had the shooting and confidence to start taking over and now we have elite shooters and mid range threats all over the court. Does not hurt that all our perimeter players know how to use screens and love to move without the ball.

 

[CocoHusky]

Copied from a BY thread before Paige got hurt.

The entire team needs to focus on not standing around watching and waiting for Paige to put on a cape and come to the rescue. Everyone of them is capable of making plays to help the team win and that should happen regardless of how well or poorly Piage is playing.

 

[HopJim]

I had heard this theory applied several times at the end of last year. The last few weeks, UConn was very effective at playing a fast paced style similar to today's team. When Paige came back, the style changed to accommodate her at point guard. Several questions came up about whether the Huskies would have been more effective against South Carolina playing at a faster pace. Moot point and how could Geno not play the Paige as he did?

 

[MdStang]

You can make stats justify any stupid theory you dream up. I worked at Georgetown during the Ewing years and saw many games in person. He made a huge difference defensively when he was in the game. Just scared the heck out of everybody. Allowed his team mates to gamble on D and play sticky man to man D without fear of their man driving by them to the hoop.

Interesting aside - I was behind Patrick in line to get a breakfast bagel and when he reached for his wallet in his back pocket I had to quickly lean back so I didn't get elbowed between the eyes.

 

[CocoHusky]

I had heard this theory applied several times at the end of last year. The last few weeks, UConn was very effective at playing a fast paced style similar to today's team. When Paige came back, the style changed to accommodate her at point guard. Several questions came up about whether the Huskies would have been more effective against South Carolina playing at a faster pace. Moot point and how could Geno not play the Paige as he did?

Paige is an extremely gifted PG UCONN doesn't have to change the style of play for Paige. It is impossible to dictate pace of play when you are being out-rebounded that drastically as UCONN was in both games against SC. So far on the season UCONN is a remarkable +11.6 in rebound margin and that is partially what is enabling UCONN to dictate the pace of play. If you go back to end of last season UCONN was even on the boards vs NCSt, + 9 against Stanford before falling into the abyss against SC for a -25 rebound margin.

 

[Forego]

I am neutral when it comes to this theory. But as far as the New York Knicks go it would be more appropriate to name it the Willis Reed theory. (1970 NBA Championship game 7)

 

[eebmg]

Better Ewing Theory

 

[pk1234]

I think the Ewing theory applies, but not with Paige, but rather last years seniors.

Obviously, all three of last years Seniors were fantastic college players and legit WNBA prospects. That said, there never seemed to be any synergy between them and the underclassmen.

I guess that's not exactly the definition of Ewing Theory, since none of the Seniors were our best player last season. Maybe CW was when Paige was hurt...

But I do think the Seniors leaving has elevated Nika, Azzi, Dorka, AE into leadership roles and helped them flourish. They seem like there is much more synergy on the team this year and more confidence with the underclassmen.

Don't want this to be a bash of the graduating Seniors. They were all really good.

 

[UcMiami]

It is a fun theory, but the reality is that it is not a 50% theory - you can point to many more instances of it being a disaster when a star departs as it is a blessing in disguise. Any theory that points to results worse than a coin flip is sort of meaningless.

I do think that a dominating star in basketball especially can unbalance a team and be easier to devise a defense against. And basketball is the easiest sport to look at because it really requires 5 players working together at all times to succeed.

 

[Alydar]

I think the Ewing theory applies, but not with Paige, but rather last years seniors.

Obviously, all three of last years Seniors were fantastic college players and legit WNBA prospects. That said, there never seemed to be any synergy between them and the underclassmen.

I guess that's not exactly the definition of Ewing Theory, since none of the Seniors were our best player last season. Maybe CW was when Paige was hurt...

But I do think the Seniors leaving has elevated Nika, Azzi, Dorka, AE into leadership roles and helped them flourish. They seem like there is much more synergy on the team this year and more confidence with the underclassmen.

Don't want this to be a bash of the graduating Seniors. They were all really good.

It seemed to me that it was the seniors last year who "let Paige do it". In the NCSt game it was a freshman and a sophomore who scored in OT.

 

[JordyG]

While the "theory" actually make sense to me, I doubt that its genesis was with Patrick and the Hoyas. It would have likely arrived decades, if not centuries before.

Or millennia before. My theory is, since many scientists blame the Younger Dryas for much today I'm going with that.

 

[SCNCHuskie]

(From the article) Drew Bledsoe: Every Patriots fan is nodding right now.

If I’m not mistaken, didn’t the guy who replaced Bledsoe do OK?

 

[Littlemin]

I had heard this theory applied several times at the end of last year. The last few weeks, UConn was very effective at playing a fast paced style similar to today's team. When Paige came back, the style changed to accommodate her at point guard. Several questions came up about whether the Huskies would have been more effective against South Carolina playing at a faster pace. Moot point and how could Geno not play the Paige as he did?

How could he have not? Simple, Bueckers played 5 games off the bench leading to the NCAAs, all decisive victories continuing UConn’s fast pace and blitzkrieg starts. Auriemma chose to then start her which slowed the pace at which they played and the early aggressive “taking the game” to the opponent was a thing of the past. Solution, again simple, give Bueckers her minutes, but keep the starting team intact. Auriemma broke one of the cardinal rules of coaching, don’t fix what ain’t broke……..

 

[Sargassoc]

Interesting, indeed. I never knew there was a name for this, but it's how I felt about the 2002-2003 championship team. Yes, we had won the national championship the year before, and yes, we still had Diana-- but losing Swin, Asjha, Sue, and Tamika and STILL winning it all the next year felt like a shock to me.

I mean, the 2001-2002 was likely the greatest UConn team ever assembled to date. Lose the core and still win it all? Shocking.

 

[UcMiami]

(From the article) Drew Bledsoe: Every Patriots fan is nodding right now.

If I’m not mistaken, didn’t the guy who replaced Bledsoe do OK?

That is the meaning of the Ewing theory though - replace a star player with a second year no name late round draft pick and the team gets better and wins multiple SBs. (Of course that replacement turned into Brady and replacing Brady when he left has not been as successful!)