In Defense of Nika Muhl

[Postie]

Here are some positives about Nika.

• She plays with high energy
• She is tenacious on defense
• Can make good passes
• Brings the ball up quickly and enables our team to attack before the opponent gets into defensive position

she needs to work on

• Take more open shots and make them
• Foul less and turn over the ball less
• Become an offensive threat so defense cannot sag, clog the lane, and make it hard for the post players to score
• Set more screens and cut backdoor or get open for a mid-range shot or trey
• Use strength to post up occasionally against shorter players

in summary, Nika needs to round out her game. Crystal Dangerfield was reluctant to shoot early in her career. She became a much better player when her 3 point shots became really good.

I am a Nika fan and I wish her well. Go Nika!

All players have to work in their weaknesses not their strengths.She should be putting up 300 everyday after practice.There is a video of Geno getting in KLS telling her so what you can make threes can you play defense get rebounds create turnovers!

 

[Longtime fan]

The elephant in the room is not Nika not scoring or not shooting well as that was never the player she was. It is Evina and Dorka not contributing much in the way of scoring, rebounding and facilitating. That is what was expected of them.

Good point. And Nika can hit threes. We have seen it ( last year, when healthy ). But she has other responsibilities as the sole point guard. And it is the others who are failing. Caroline missed 8 of 9 from the arc. And the one she hit was on a lucky bounce ( not " nothing but net."). Westbrook disappeared, and Dorka just can't be relied upon ( to hold on and control a loose ball or top make a shot). Even Olivia missed the 12 footer she had drained consistently against Xavier. At this moment, something is " wrong." And it won't get corrected just because Azzi starts playing or Paige gets closer to returning. At the moment, the chemistry isn't there. This just isn't a team running on all cylinders ...physical or mental.

 

[NU2BY]

@Longtime fan - Correction, Caroline missed 7 out of 8 from the arc, and the one she made counted the same whether it swished or not. What about the 9 out of 13 two pointers she scored, isn't that worthy praise instead of bashing her for poor 3pt performance? She scored nearly 38% of UConn's points in the game. Just imagine where we'd be without her.

 

[NU2BY]

Good point. And Nika can hit threes. We have seen it ( last year, when healthy ). But she has other responsibilities as the sole point guard. And it is the others who are failing. Caroline missed 8 of 9 from the arc. And the one she hit was on a lucky bounce ( not " nothing but net."). Westbrook disappeared, and Dorka just can't be relied upon ( to hold on and control a loose ball or top make a shot). Even Olivia missed the 12 footer she had drained consistently against Xavier. At this moment, something is " wrong." And it won't get corrected just because Azzi starts playing or Paige gets closer to returning. At the moment, the chemistry isn't there. This just isn't a team running on all cylinders ...physical or mental.

Correction, Caroline missed 7 out of 8 from the arc, and the one she made counted the same whether it swished or not. What about the 9 out of 13 two pointers she scored, isn't that worthy praise instead of bashing her for poor 3pt performance? She scored nearly 38% of UConn's points in the game. Just imagine where we'd be without her.

 

[Bigboote]

Nika is shooting 3 for 20=15% from deep this season & 27 % overall . The vast majority of her deep shots have been wide open shots and you want Nika to shoot more? I think the UCONN opponents want the same thing you do.
Rx. 1) Nika needs to shoot more accurately
2) Nika needs to shoot closer to the basket. 20 of her 30 FG attempts have been from deep. Mix in mid range and layups.
3) Once she accomplishes # 1 and 2 Nika needs to shoot more often to keep the defense from sagging on to other UCONN players.

I don't generally agree with you about Nika, Coco, but I agree with this 100%.

There's been such an emphasis on three-pointers, so many people (including players and coaches) forget about developing the 10-15 footer. Grace Berger immediately comes to mind as someone whose success depends largely on the short-midrange jumper.

 

[#12in21]

Not a big fan of Geno's Oregon post game presser. He, as some have pointed out, fell on the sword saying this is the worst coaching of his career. But the tone said to me that those were more words for the press than his actual belief. When he in essence said that 'the guard play sucked and the reason for that was none of the good guards are playing', that rung truer to me to what he was actually feeling at the moment. I get he was frustrated by how the team performed, but rather than showing frustration that his players didn't show up and play like he knows they are capable, he in his statements, indicated he doesn't feel they are capable. I just hope his private communications individually and at practices express more disappointment and are aimed at motivating improvement than reinforcing that he has given up on some of them and at best they are pacesetters until he 'gets his real team back'.

I fully accept that Paige and Christyn have shown they are the best guards on the team, Azzi potentially may be up there as well but so far she hasn't played enough at this level to say that. If Geno had said 'our best guards weren't playing in Oregon' no argument but he said 'our good guards weren't playing'. Both Evina and Nika have shown in the past that they have real value to the team, they have contributed and have worked their butts off to do so, so I hope what Geno said publicly at the presser is not his true feelings about them at this time and certainly how they are experiencing their relationship with him and the team. I most definitely have not given up on either of them and believe they will bounce back from a bad game. My hope is that Geno believes that as well, if not he may be right about his comment about the coaching.

 

[BobbyJ]

Not a big fan of Geno's Oregon post game presser. He, as some have pointed out, fell on the sword saying this is the worst coaching of his career. But the tone said to me that those were more words for the press than his actual belief. When he in essence said that 'the guard play sucked and the reason for that was none of the good guards are playing', that rung truer to me to what he was actually feeling at the moment. I get he was frustrated by how the team performed, but rather than showing frustration that his players didn't show up and play like he knows they are capable, he in his statements, indicated he doesn't feel they are capable. I just hope his private communications individually and at practices express more disappointment and are aimed at motivating improvement than reinforcing that he has given up on some of them and at best they are pacesetters until he 'gets his real team back'.

I fully accept that Paige and Christyn have shown they are the best guards on the team, Azzi potentially may be up there as well but so far she hasn't played enough at this level to say that. If Geno had said 'our best guards weren't playing in Oregon' no argument but he said 'our good guards weren't playing'. Both Evina and Nika have shown in the past that they have real value to the team, they have contributed and have worked their butts off to do so, so I hope what Geno said publicly at the presser is not his true feelings about them at this time and certainly how they are experiencing their relationship with him and the team. I most definitely have not given up on either of them and believe they will bounce back from a bad game. My hope is that Geno believes that as well, if not he may be right about his comment about the coaching.

Of course it's for the media. That's just how he operates. With his ego he's not going to admit to any shortcomings in coaching. Instead of keeping some of this stuff inhouse, he tosses it out to the media knowing he can use them to send his messages. I think it's more for public consumption than for the players. But that's all this is, nothing new.

 

[Longtime fan]

@Longtime fan - Correction, Caroline missed 7 out of 8 from the arc, and the one she made counted the same whether it swished or not. What about the 9 out of 13 two pointers she scored, isn't that worthy praise instead of bashing her for poor 3pt performance? She scored nearly 38% of UConn's points in the game. Just imagine where we'd be without her.

Telling facts is not " bashing."

 

[eebmg]

Telling facts is not " bashing."

Selecting which facts are more important is subjective.

 

[NU2BY]

Telling facts is not " bashing."

Well, which "fact" did you actually get correct? Putting down one player in an attempt to make another look better is, in fact, bashing.

 

[Longtime fan]

Well, which "fact" did you actually get correct? Putting down one player in an attempt to make another look better is, in fact, bashing.

Please clarify. You really think it relevant whether it is 7 of 8 missed or 8 of 9? And by stating ( or mis-stating)t this number which player am I attempting to make look better?

 

[NU2BY]

Please clarify. You really think it relevant whether it is 7 of 8 missed or 8 of 9? And by stating ( or mis-stating)t this number which player am I attempting to make look better?

Nika Muhl. And yes, I think facts, correct ones, are very relevant. I may have jumped on you prematurely as I have since read other posts you've made which I agree with. For that I apologize. I just have read so many negative posts from those who want to put Caroline down when in reality she's consistently all we've got at the moment (save some decent play by Liv lately). By your comment, you want her to stop shooting 3s or better put, to make a larger percent of them. We all want that, but none of us more than she does! She's been encouraged by Geno to shoot when she's open. For the most part that's what she's been doing! Unfortunately, she's rushing her 3pt shot, not setting her feet, squaring her shoulders, and shooting in rhythm. Others here have correctly pointed out that her teammates could help her along those lines by setting picks and getting her the ball when she first comes open ... not at the last second to beat the clock. She's a freshman and these things will come in time. Regardless of how many 3s she misses, where would we be without her?

 

[CTrefugee]

I don't think she needs a defense. It is a rare player who can play well immediately after being out for a long stretch.
As she gets these long minutes, everything will get better. Nika probably would still be "phasing in" if they had anyone else.

 

[CocoHusky]

Nika Muhl. And yes, I think facts, correct ones, are very relevant. I may have jumped on you prematurely as I have since read other posts you've made which I agree with. For that I apologize. I just have read so many negative posts from those who want to put Caroline down when in reality she's consistently all we've got at the moment (save some decent play by Liv lately). By your comment, you want her to stop shooting 3s or better put, to make a larger percent of them. We all want that, but none of us more than she does! She's been encouraged by Geno to shoot when she's open. For the most part that's what she's been doing! Unfortunately, she's rushing her 3pt shot, not setting her feet, squaring her shoulders, and shooting in rhythm. Others here have correctly pointed out that her teammates could help her along those lines by setting picks and getting her the ball when she first comes open ... not at the last second to beat the clock. She's a freshman and these things will come in time. Regardless of how many 3s she misses, where would we be without her?

Where are these post putting Caroline down?
Help me with this: You want us to point out only those relevant facts which in your opinion don't put a player down unless it is something we all want. We all want Caroline to hit more of her three point shots that she did in the last game and I suppose you do as well. If that's what we all want isn't it relevant to point out the fact that Caroline was 1 for 8 last game? Follow up question: Is pointing out something that's factual, really putting someone down.

 

[NU2BY]

Where are these post putting Caroline down?
Help me with this: You want us to point out only those relevant facts which in your opinion don't put a player down unless it is something we all want. We all want Caroline to hit more of her three point shots that she did in the last game and I suppose you do as well. If that's what we all want isn't it relevant to point out the fact that Caroline was 1 for 8 last game? Follow up question: Is pointing out something that's factual, really putting someone down.

There are numerous posts on here that aren't positive about Caroline ... her shot selection, poor choices, should be passing into the post, etc. I'm quite sure you have read at least some of them, if not that's your problem. I'm not going to waste my time digging them up for you. Why is it relevant to point out she was snidely 1 for 8 in a thread entitled "In defense of Nika Muhl". Actually, what was pointed out was incorrect! And if you're going to do that, wouldn't it also be relevant to point out that she was 9 for 13 otherwise and led the team in scoring with 22 points ... slightly under 38% of UConn's total? I'll let you answer your own last question.