How come Dorka only played 3 minutes?

[RSHERMVIKES]

I'm looking at the UCONN vs Indiana box score and see Dorka only played 3 minutes.
Does anyone know why? Was she sick or hurt?
If this has been spoken of previously I haven't heard!
Thanks in advance!

 

[BBallF]

Assuming she wasn't sick or hurt the only other explanation is that she looked tentative again in her shots and missed another lay up. I would have liked her to get a lot more minutes to get beyond whatever NCAA nerves she may have had. We will need her going forward and next year.

 

[Slipperman]

the layup thing is becoming a big issue.

 

[Aluminny69]

Geno was never going to go nine deep. A Leopard doesn't change its spots. Geno is going with his five best for major minutes, with Evina as a sub. Nika got a few minutes, but only because Paige was hurt, or needed a slight breather.

What does this say about what Geno really thinks of the Big East competition? He can go nine deep for the last half of the season, as well as the Big East tournament, but doesn't trust them now?

To paraphrase Animal Farm, Everybody eats, but some eat 10 times more than others.

 

[hoophuskee]

Looking back in the game she also may have blown 2 consecutive defensive assignments as well in the 3 minutes she was in. The 2nd one in particular they looked like they were supposed to double-team the post and the center split the double team going from 1 side of the lane to the other and it seemed Dorka gave very little resistance.

I love the idea Geno can do this. This is why you have a bench. If the HOF coach feels someone isn't playing up to his standards, he sits them down. A message to everyone.

But the layup - you have to see the replay. She was wide wide open. For some reason she hesitates. Then she throws up a layup that goes from one side of the backboard to the other. It's one thing to miss a layup -- but that was another level.

If you look back in the UCF game, someone pointed out - I think it was 6:50 left in 2nd half she missed a bunny wide open. And you could see Geno going nuts.

 

[hoophuskee]

What does this say about what Geno really thinks of the Big East competition?

That the Big East is a good conference with 2 teams in the E8 and a 3rd in S16?

 

[sun]

Liv and AE were amped up for this game.
They were exhibiting some fast twitch cat-like reflexes on defense and when rebounding.
They were beating out the competition by fractions of a second to make steals, rebounds and shots.
Dorka was having a crises in confidence and Geno probably wanted her to observe how aggressive the players with experience from last year's tournament were performing.

Also, there's another game in 2 days, and by resting her today she will be fresher for the next game.
She just needs to focus & concentrate more on executing the tasks at hand.

 

[diggerfoot]

Geno was never going to go nine deep. A Leopard doesn't change its spots. Geno is going with his five best for major minutes, with Evina as a sub. Nika got a few minutes, but only because Paige was hurt, or needed a slight breather.

What does this say about what Geno really thinks of the Big East competition? He can go nine deep for the last half of the season, as well as the Big East tournament, but doesn't trust them now?

To paraphrase Animal Farm, Everybody eats, but some eat 10 times more than others.

Auriemma went more than nine deep in 2000, nine deep in the Moore years (Gardler being the ninth), and arguably during some of Stewart’s years, though I say arguably because there were many blowouts even in the tournament. He went eight deep in 1995 (Sales, Berube, Rose) and 2002 (Moore, Conlon, Battle).

Of course, he only went 6-7 deep for all those FF years when he did not win a championship. Personally, I suspect he thinks 8 is ideal.

 

[Zarathustra]

That the Big East is a good conference with 2 teams in the E8 and a 3rd in S16?

Not to mention SETON HALL in the WNIT, Tomorrow against Columbia ( another
surprise ).

 

[dogpause]

Z

I'm looking at the UCONN vs Indiana box score and see Dorka only played 3 minutes.
Does anyone know why? Was she sick or hurt?
If this has been spoken of previously I haven't heard!
Thanks in advance!

Dorka avoids contact and hasn't shown the poise she displayed in recent games. At some point we're going to need her, and she's going to have to show toughness and play like one of the biggest players on the roster, instead of one of the smallest.

 

[Geew1992]

She looked like a deer in headlights

 

[oldude]

Geno was never going to go nine deep. A Leopard doesn't change its spots. Geno is going with his five best for major minutes, with Evina as a sub. Nika got a few minutes, but only because Paige was hurt, or needed a slight breather.

What does this say about what Geno really thinks of the Big East competition? He can go nine deep for the last half of the season, as well as the Big East tournament, but doesn't trust them now?

To paraphrase Animal Farm, Everybody eats, but some eat 10 times more than others.

Sorry to disagree. Geno most assuredly would use nine players if he had nine players who he trusted to perform in a game where it’s win or go home. He played all nine players in prime time yesterday and certainly could have used more time from Dorka to spell Liv & Aaliyah yesterday.

Unfortunately, after really playing well towards the end of the season, Dorka has been playing “rushed” in each of the last 2 games, missing a bunch of layups. That earned her a seat on the bench. Yesterday, many of Dorka’s minutes were assumed by Evina who did a really good job matching up with IN’s bigger forwards.

I really hope Dorka regains her confidence and settles down, so that Geno can trust his 9 player rotation again. It would make a world of difference in the games ahead.

 

[SLY63]

I was at the game, and IMO it was a combo of Dorka missing a point-blank layup and AE/ONO playing inspired. I think Geno has made up his mind that will go with 5-9 who best match up and bring their A game on that given day.

 

[LarryLegend]

Geno has the luxury now of tuning his in-game lineup based on performance. Must be a huge relief to him

 

[Bald Husky]

I always knew that Geno would go back to his old way of distributing minutes, but he has to realize that this could negate the advantage he has about keeping players fresh. He doesn't have to do it as liberal as he has done lately, but it was plain to see that Azzi was gassed in the fourth quarter. Her threes were way off, and the shot she took inside the foul line was a line drive that hit the front of the rim. Caroline and Dorka need a few more minutes just to remain sharp, but a little bench time, and I'm only talking a few minutes, for Paige and Azzi early in the fourth could make them more productive late in the game.

 

[Conndog]

I always knew that Geno would go back to his old way of distributing minutes, but he has to realize that this could negate the advantage he has about keeping players fresh. He doesn't have to do it as liberal as he has done lately, but it was plain to see that Azzi was gassed in the fourth quarter. Her threes were way off, and the shot she took inside the foul line was a line drive that hit the front of the rim. Caroline and Dorka need a few more minutes just to remain sharp, but a little bench time, and I'm only talking a few minutes, for Paige and Azzi early in the fourth could make them more productive late in the game.

Exactly, shortening the bench just results in tired players, and our team has done great with playing a full cast. We should be playing Liv, Aaliyah, Dorka, Christyn, Paige, Nika, Caroline, Azzi, and Evina all getting decent minutes. Have the starters begin and then sub in the others, maybe after one period start inserting them, or earlier even if a starter is having a rough day. Give the subs a decent amount of playing time. Maybe substitutions are keyed on specific assignments due to specific situations- an extra shooter if opponent is packing the zone, a taller defender, etc. I was disappointed that Caroline didn't get as much playing time yesterday- when she was in there, she was productive. We must practice those layups/bunnies to get ready for games, don't we? Maybe more practice time should be spent on this component?

 

[CL82]

Looking back in the game she also may have blown 2 consecutive defensive assignments as well in the 3 minutes she was in. The 2nd one in particular they looked like they were supposed to double-team the post and the center split the double team going from 1 side of the lane to the other and it seemed Dorka gave very little resistance.

I love the idea Geno can do this. This is why you have a bench. If the HOF coach feels someone isn't playing up to his standards, he sits them down. A message to everyone.

But the layup - you have to see the replay. She was wide wide open. For some reason she hesitates. Then she throws up a layup that goes from one side of the backboard to the other. It's one thing to miss a layup -- but that was another level.

If you look back in the UCF game, someone pointed out - I think it was 6:50 left in 2nd half she missed a bunny wide open. And you could see Geno going nuts.

Lay up yips?

 

[mercfan]

We also played a lot of that game small, with Caroline or Evina at the 4.

Which I think is the right move. Our offense is infinitely better with more guards on the floor.

 

[my2cents]

These games are not regular games. You lose, your season is over. There is no next game to be "fresh" for if you lose.
Geno also knows it's a large stage and players may not be ready for the moment. Dorka didn't just miss a layup, she "airballed" off the backboard from 2 ft. Too hyped, please sit down.
Nika missed two foul shots, we can't risk the other team playing "hack" a Nika, please sit down.

 

[Kat]

Dorka provides intense D and good ball movement. The Huskies were getting that, along with better shooting and rebounds, from the guards who were getting the minutes. Different games, opponents, require specific match ups. I wouldn't be surprised to see Dorka getting considerable minutes in the NC State game as they have a very quick little guard who is talented and difficult to defend (Raina Perez.) Can't wait.

 

[Charliebball]

Assuming she wasn't sick or hurt the only other explanation is that she looked tentative again in her shots and missed another lay up. I would have liked her to get a lot more minutes to get beyond whatever NCAA nerves she may have had. We will need her going forward and next year.

the layup was a mess but she also missed a couple of outside shots............if one had had gone in she might not have been pulled so quickly.....

 

[CocoHusky]

Dorka provides intense D and good ball movement. The Huskies were getting that, along with better shooting and rebounds, from the guards who were getting the minutes. Different games, opponents, require specific match ups. I wouldn't be surprised to see Dorka getting considerable minutes in the NC State game as they have a very quick little guard who is talented and difficult to defend (Raina Perez.) Can't wait.

Dorka is going to defend Perez?

 

[HopJim]

I was at the game, and IMO it was a combo of Dorka missing a point-blank layup and AE/ONO playing inspired. I think Geno has made up his mind that will go with 5-9 who best match up and bring their A game on that given day.

I think you nailed it. Not only were ONO and AE playing one of the best games of their career but when the other subs came in, they immediately performed well. ONO and AE got their rest without Dorka.

 

[iri10]

Shortening the roster by cutting the minutes of players who were "off" didn't hurt at all in this game. Won't hurt in most games. Does that mean I'd be totally happy with it going forward, against any opponent? No...not necessarily.

I have a hypothesis: That owing to a combination of factors (such as other teams improving their physio), the conditioning gap between UConn and the average other team has narrowed. And whereas there would previously only be a tiny handful of teams that could outright match UConn's conditioning, ala Notre Dame during the Diggins years, now it's almost a given that very good teams can.

If so, it would be more likely now than in the past that UConn's seven can be worn down by the 4th and defeated by a seemingly fresher opponent. I think this explains at least some of what happened in the early meeting with South Carolina, in which Paige and CW played 39 minutes, ONO 34, Evina 31.

NC State is next, and I honestly don't quite know enough about them to say whether or not I'd be happy running seven against them. If we get through them - and it certainly is an "if" - then I would say that I'd be especially leery to hear that we would be running seven against either Stanford or South Carolina. I'm not saying that everyone needs 20 minutes...I'd just like to limit our core lineup to 32 or so.