New starting lineup suggestion... (merged)

[BBallF]

Here's my suggestion:
Bueckers
Muhl
Fudd
Ducharme
Edward's

That's their five best players. They just need to play better.

I don't agree about Caroline anymore over Aubrey. I think Aubrey, if she is healthy, provides much better defense and rebounding, and right now our defense is very Un-UCONN. I also would not be opposed to Caroline starting over Nika and let Nika come in off the bench for energy. That way you can put CD back to the 3 where she is the most comfortable and problematic for the opposing team.

 

[Rowdy831]

Here's my suggestion:
Bueckers
Muhl
Fudd
Ducharme
Edward's

That's their five best players. They just need to play better.

If you are right they are in big trouble.

 

[uconnfan68]

Rewatched game and while more rebounding would have been helpful, it was NC State's guards that created their win. While a zone would have helped against the many made outside shots, it was the constant drives past Nika and others that gave them the lead. While many initial reactions, mine included, was to add more height, just shutting down the drives would have given UConn the win. Not sure what lineup changes Geno could make - bench Nika, etc.? If we go with Paige/Nika/Azzi as starters, should Geno finially allow a zone. Tough one but suspect the next few practices will focus on all Huskies moving their feet.

They played a semi-zone much of the 2nd half, after they realized they couldn’t play man.

 

[jabstep]

UConn has a6’6” player ?

Amari latest listing

 

[mbr33ct]

You want to light fires under some players...start these five;

KK
Qadence
Aubrey
Ice
Ashlynn

 

[RadfordRam]

Subbing Edwards would be disastrous, she's playing as well as anyone on the team.

 

[Gordo]

If you are right they are in big trouble.

Based on the play against NC State, this TEAM is in big trouble period!

 

[Martin]

Maybe we should have been in on Shaq’s daughter. 6’4”. Chose Florida over LSU. Size, pedigree. )) His advice to her was go where you are needed not where you are wanted.

 

[pk1234]

If you are right they are in big trouble.

If they're starting 3-4 freshman from a freshman class that was ranked high but not considered elite... they are probably not even a Top 25 team IMO.

I'll give you all AG over Caroline, but with the minutes restriction and energy provides I get AG coming off the bench.

Overreactions on here are unbelievable.

 

[HuskyNan]

If they're starting 3-4 freshman from a freshman class that was ranked high but not considered elite... they are probably not even a Top 25 team IMO.

I'll give you all AG over Caroline, but with the minutes restriction and energy provides I get AG coming off the bench.

Overreactions on here are unbelievable.

On the Boneyard, players tend to be good, or not, based on the last game

 

[pk1234]

On the Boneyard, players tend to be good, or not, based on the last game

Poor Qadence is expected to be a 35 MPG All-American candidate now until the first game she goes 1-for-8 from 3, has 4 turnovers and misses a few assignments on defense and the board turns on her (which is going to happen).

 

[jdote33]

Rewatching and I'm a bit less concerned. They actually started the game well , and outplayed them the first 12 minutes. Azzi did miss some open looks, and Ice had a tough stretch in the second quarter. But at least upon second watch they are not playing that bad. I do think they had some bad fouls. If Azzi is 3-7 instead of 1-7 from three I think her game looks a lot better. Frida Formann the sharp shooter from Colorado, had a very similar stat line as she was 1-8 from 3 yesterday and missed some great looks. Colorado was at home and won the game.

Also Caroline had a bad turnover and was slow to a rebound to start the 3rd but I don't think she was all that bad either. If this is a bad game for AE I'll take it. But as cliche as it sounds I do really think they struggled with the little things and it cost them the game. Bad fouling and poor rebounding is what sticks out.

 

[HuskyBaggins]

Good to see Geno and I are on the same page! Sometime in the first half I thought... "Hmmm, I wonder how long it will take Geno to put what seems like the most talented group on the floor at the same time - Paige, Azzi, Aliyah, Cadence, and KK"

Not long at all, as it turns out. I think it was midway through the 3rd quarter.

The outcome was disappointing, but dang if that UConn on the jersey doesn't continue to inspire teams to ridiculous heights. Amazing how well NC State played.

There's a lot of improvement available to this team between the newcomers, including Ice, to getting both Paige and Azzi back to full speed after all the injuries. I definitely look forward to what that 5 can do together by the end of the year!!!

 

[GG]

Here's my suggestion:
Bueckers
Muhl
Fudd
Ducharme
Edward's

That's their five best players. They just need to play better.

Not certain Ducharme is ready to show up in big games. From my perspective, she seems to get lost.

 

[pk1234]

Not certain Ducharme is ready to show up in big games. From my perspective, she seems to get lost.

The only way your going to find that out is to play her in big games and see if she doesn't get lost. She was the go to player in some big conference games her freshman year.

She's been largely injured for just about all of her college career.

 

[maple]

If Azzi is 3-7 instead of 1-7 from three I think her game looks a lot better.

If there's one thing for certain, we NEED to make our open baskets. We had more than a couple wide open 3s in Q1 that we could not make. They would have put a dagger in the game when we were initially pulling away. I would say Azzi's greatest strength is making 3s more than anything else, so she needs to hit more of them. I get not everyone is KML, I'm just asking for better than 14%.

 

[wingsfan055]

I don't know why anyone wants Nika benched. She did her job and did it well. Shes not a scoring machine but she did have 6 assists and a steal plus several rebounds and NO turn overs. She played as good of defense as anyone on UCONN and got little help from the Freshmen who were out of sync and position many times.

I dont think anyone here is trashing Nika's performance. At this point, we know her strengths and limitations. The problem is figuring out the best 5 that complement each other for best team performance. This team is so guard-heavy and perimeter/jump-shooting reliant, that something has to change on offense to get some easy baskets inside. As for defense, that was a horrible effort yesterday, and I don't think anyone played particularly well. We got beat 1-on-1 on the perimeter. slow to switch or recover, etc. This might require a scheme change to a full-out zone.

 

[Gordo]

Poor Qadence is expected to be a 35 MPG All-American candidate now until the first game she goes 1-for-8 from 3, has 4 turnovers and misses a few assignments on defense and the board turns on her (which is going to happen).

That's more than a bit exaggerated! I haven't read where anyone is suggesting that "Q" is expected to do anything but perform they way she has in the first two games ... shot the lights out from behind the arc!!! Something few, if any others, have been doing. But you are of course correct, the minute she goes 1 for 8, makes some turnovers, and blows a few defensive assignments, the heat will be on for a replacement. That's the way the cookie crumbles.

 

[Gordo]

Not certain Ducharme is ready to show up in big games. From my perspective, she seems to get lost.

I think you are probably correct with that statement. It would appear to me that Caroline is reluctant to get in there and mix it up. That's understandable based on all her previous problems with concussions and knocks on the head. She seems to be holding back and it's effecting everything she's doing or better stated isn't doing on the court including shooting 3s. She's not setting her feet, squaring her shoulders and shooting in rhythm. She's rushing the shot when there's no need to do so. She just needs to relax and let 'em fly. It also appears to me that she is giving way to both Paige and Azzi, instead of having the confidence that she is as good as anyone on the floor and just play her game.

 

[pk1234]

That's more than a bit exaggerated! I haven't read where anyone is suggesting that "Q" is expected to do anything but perform they way she has in the first two games ... shot the lights out from behind the arc!!! Something few, if any others, have been doing. But you are of course correct, the minute she goes 1 for 8, makes some turnovers, and blows a few defensive assignments, the heat will be on for a replacement. That's the way the cookie crumbles.

Cookie doesn't need to crumble that way. And she absolutely will have a 1 for 8 (or something like that) stretch at some point. And CD and Azzi will have hot stretches. That's the way the cookie crumbles...

 

[From France]

I would probably change the starting 5 with Aubrey in place of Caroline, if Aubrey is healthy.
But I believe in coach Geno to do what's best for the team

 

[Longtime fan]

Paige
Azzi
Qadence
Aubrey
Aaliyah

Not suggesting we throw out the baby with the bathwater, but this team lacks athleticism and quickness. It reminds me of Geno's joke about Maria Conlon... "well she's short, but she's also slow".

I get that we lack size, but against State, it wasn't the post players who killed us. It was the guards who seemed to zip past us all game long. Baldwin and Collins (their starting forwards) combined for 14 total points. Maybe starting the game out with a more athletic look will work better? Flip side to that - we won the first quarter with our normal starting 5, so who knows?? But especially after seeing this game, how Geno decided to start Caroline over Aubrey is a mystery to me.

To be honest, I'm not oppose to starting KK over Azzi either. So far, if Azzi isn't hitting her 3, she's a liability on the floor. Trying NOT to let knee jerk frustration dominate the starting 5 decision, but I'm so confused about this team. Thoughts?

I think the key to this season rests with Ice Brady. Paige will be terrific and put the team on her back if everyone else goes cold or loses their nerve. Azzi will be solid but not spectacular ( which we all expected her to be). Nika Muhl will be a force on defense and with her passing, but won't shoot enough to shape the offense. Caroline will be a good back-up, but not a force. Edwards is great, and will dominate, but does not have the body type to control the middle against top teams. And Aubrey is a fine replacement as well. But she went into her shell again once the competition got hot ( or is it the presence of Paige, to whom everyone but Edward seems to defer?). We must have Ice Brady with Edwards, to dominate the middle. Edwards is already double teamed, so Ice Brady must emerge as an "unguardable" star ( box her in underneath, and she steps outside and hits 15 footers). And all the freshman need significant court time. We are not winning anything big with Paige, Azzi, Edwards, Caroline and Muhl playing 30 minutes or more each. The fact is; Azzi and Caroline are not playing close to " as good as advertised," and likely never will ( I don't count big games against mid level competitors). Azzi and Caroline are fine players for the Big East, but not for the Big Dance. Both were underwhelming against NC State. We need a new star. Let it be Brady.

 

[Geesworld]

Ice 2 games in looks slow, doesn't get back on defense, didn't play 2nd half. KK same was lost was removed fast. Right now Qadence only new player showing up.

Totally agree about Ice looking slow. I also would say the same thing about a few of the starters. For us to go far Ice is needed and she doesn't get better sitting the bench after a year plus layoff.

 

[southofnorth]

Poor Qadence is expected to be a 35 MPG All-American candidate now until the first game she goes 1-for-8 from 3, has 4 turnovers and misses a few assignments on defense and the board turns on her (which is going to happen).

These kinds of comments are as bad as the “we’re doomed” comments.