One area I hope to see improvement next season is on the defensive end

[JDForever]

--Aubrey is too inconsistent and has a tendency to disappear during games

Aubrey's defense is not inconsistent nor does she have a tendency to stop playing defense during a game. With Paige, Azzi, Caroline
and Aaliyah her role would not be scoring she does so many other things well that she would be a positive to the starting lineup.

 

[HopJim]

If you watch this past year's Notre Dame game, UConn knew coming in that Miles would drive to the basket, but Nika and others could not stop her. Go back a year, and Arizonia won by having their quick guards take advantage of a slower UConn team defense. Defense is usually a team game so look forward to the answer UConn has to these issues in 2024.

 

[hoophuskee]

If they are healthy and they use mostly upperclassmen (it doesn't mean don't use any of the freshmen) then they will be better both offensively and defensively. As always you need - balance. balance. balance.

 

[hoophuskee]

Very possible but why play with two point guards at one time? If Aubrey starts she gets the toughest defensive assignment leaving Nika to spark the team off of the bench..........can you imagine how aggressive she can be knowing she doesn't need to play the entire game? A second backcourt of Nika and KK would be awfully fun to watch.......

Two years ago they had 3 pg's on the floor as starters for most of the season with Paige, Evina and Nika. If you can play 3 and be a FF caliber team, then what's wrong with 2?

And Aubrey was coming off the bench that year vs Nika starting, and provided fine spark. She can do that again next year.

I believe Aubrey and Caroline coming off the bench would be a lot of fun to watch too if soemone like Ice can start at C or PF.

 

[jdote33]

Just wondering what UConn team of late was great defensively?

 

[bovwa10]

Just wondering what UConn team of late was great defensively?

Ever since Gabby Williams and Kia Nurse’s class graduated, I don’t think UConn has had any amazing defensive teams.

 

[Rowdy831]

Nika needs to work on her shot. If she can get better at shooting she will still start and defense is just as important as scoring points. Paige and Azzi should be there too, AE is a for sure starter which leads one spot and UCONN will need someone who can defend the paint, rebound as score a little bit. Aubrey could be that person but if she isn't it gives them a lot of depth for when the game isn't going your way which they didn't have this year.

I would really like to see Amari get focused on getting better and playing smarter. She is the one player that has the size to make a huge difference and can pass and shoot. Defensively she will need to really grow but she could wiggle in there too if she is still here.

 

[tchalla1]

Aubrey's defense is not inconsistent nor does she have a tendency to stop playing defense during a game. With Paige, Azzi, Caroline
and Aaliyah her role would not be scoring she does so many other things well that she would be a positive to the starting lineup.

What you say may be true, but what you are describing is a defensive specialist and specialists usually are reserves and see spot duty...

 

[sun]

Defense is pretty hard to quantify and it's not very scientific.
Even if a UConn defender manages to shave 5 points off of an opposing player's PPG average, what's to say that another opposing player won't score 5 points more?

There's different ways to measure defense, steals, blocks, pressure & shots, rebounds, maybe the missed shot wouldn't have gone in anyway. How do you measure the effectiveness of pressure?
And then there's the differential of the offense prowess of the UConn defensive player.

Let's say a defensive specialist did manage to shave 5 points off of an opposing player's PPG, but that defensive specialist didn't score any points while there's a player on the bench that could have scored 10 points.
That means the defensive player cost the team 5 points even they performed effective defensive play.
That's why it's hard to say that one player is better or more worthy of PT than another.
Especially if a UConn player is an inconsistent scorer, or causes fouls, or plays too many minutes and loses their defensive effectiveness.

In baseball, players can have ratings for their different "tools" including both offensive & defensive skills.
All kinds of measurements of skills & statistics down to how fast they can run & the velocity of the balls that they hit.
But in BB we don't have access to many statistics that perhaps some coaches have advanced metrics of some sort.
They have done some studies with electronic devices that take measurements of how many jumps before their legs get tired & lose height, & how much sleep they get every night & what they ate for breakfast too. (Joke Joke)

 

[Charliebball]

Two years ago they had 3 pg's on the floor as starters for most of the season with Paige, Evina and Nika. If you can play 3 and be a FF caliber team, then what's wrong with 2?

And Aubrey was coming off the bench that year vs Nika starting, and provided fine spark. She can do that again next year.

I believe Aubrey and Caroline coming off the bench would be a lot of fun to watch too if soemone like Ice can start at C or PF.

That's true although Evina was able to play in the small forward spot too........I think having a big like Ice on the floor to team with AE is going to be a necessity against certain teams......that leaves Paige and Azzi and the fifth spot should probably depend on matchups.......I could see Nika out there against smaller lineups or Audrey or Caroline against bigger lineups........Ice's ability to score from the foul line and in close is going to add an extra dimension to UConn's offense.....

 

[Gordo]

Well, at least I hope the coaching staff can teach them how to break a press. What Ohio State did to us should have been down right totally embarrassing Geno and Co. It still gives me nightmares!

 

[hoophuskee]

That's true although Evina was able to play in the small forward spot too........I think having a big like Ice on the floor to team with AE is going to be a necessity against certain teams......that leaves Paige and Azzi and the fifth spot should probably depend on matchups.......I could see Nika out there against smaller lineups or Audrey or Caroline against bigger lineups........Ice's ability to score from the foul line and in close is going to add an extra dimension to UConn's offense.....

Evina was the starter at PF. I tend to believe with rare exceptions UCONN shouldn't need to worry about matchups. The other team should have to worry about them.

 

[Charliebball]

Evina was the starter at PF. I tend to believe with rare exceptions UCONN shouldn't need to worry about matchups. The other team should have to worry about them.

These games are all about matchups........I think UConn would have had a better chance of beating Va Tech than beating Ohio State

 

[hoophuskee]

These games are all about matchups........I think UConn would have had a better chance of beating Va Tech than beating Ohio State

I don't necessarily agree. Sometimes matchups but overall it's more about execution.

 

[Woof 101]

These games are all about matchups........I think UConn would have had a better chance of beating Va Tech than beating Ohio State

I don't necessarily agree. Sometimes matchups but overall it's more about execution.

You two should talk sometime. You both are correct, the match up term applies to all sports.
Execution can very well be due to match ups but also simply some nights the hoop is the size of a sea and others that of a thimble.
I hope the use of the word thimble does not have too many young fans heading to google.

 

[hoophuskee]

You two should talk sometime. You both are correct, the match up term applies to all sports.
Execution can very well be due to match ups but also simply some nights the hoop is the size of a sea and others that of a thimble.
I hope the use of the word thimble does not have too many young fans heading to google.

How about all 3 of us talk?

Why was this game such a bad matchup for All-American candidate Aaliyah Edwards? Was it a matchup or Ohio State was just superior in executing?

Why can't arguably a top 3 team in America handle pressure better when they have had a week to prepare? Maybe no Edwards? If so, is that a matchup issue?

On the General Board thread a fellow UCONN fan and I had a disagreement on if we ended up playing SC in the finals how should we plan to play them. I had said basically play your best and don't worry about the matchup. You got all the way to the finals. See if Beal or whoever could stop Azzi (I assumed she must've been hot if UCONN got to Finals).

With UCONN - let the other team match to us.

 

[Dezoworld]

I would be against that--Aubrey is too inconsistent and has a tendency to disappear during games. During those games, it's like UConn's playing 4 on 5. If we could get the Aubrey against Baylor all the time, then yes she's a starter.. But not the Aubrey against ND or OSU....

The girl played with a bad back. You can tell the difference in her play earlier on in the season up til the post season. Aubrey gives it her all every game

 

[Woof 101]

Why was this game such a bad matchup for All-American candidate Aaliyah Edwards? Was it a matchup or Ohio State was just superior in executing?

I would say a little of both, do realize Aaliyah only played 18 minutes as her opponent played 38. No player can match up to another while sitting on the bench.
Funny as I type watching the opening minutes of Iowa vs SC, Rebecca and the other announcer proclaim it will be about match ups.
No spitting match just a part of the game in every game every sport.

 

[enigmatic]

UCONN needs a reminiscent of Kiah Stokes in the post, Gabby Williams disrupting passing lanes, and Kia Nurse on the perimeter.

 

[Orc]

Do we have someone like Cardoso for next year? SC seems to get all the best post players now

 

[hoophuskee]

I would say a little of both, do realize Aaliyah only played 18 minutes as her opponent played 38. No player can match up to another while sitting on the bench.
Funny as I type watching the opening minutes of Iowa vs SC, Rebecca and the other announcer proclaim it will be about match ups.
No spitting match just a part of the game in every game every sport.

Yes both to a degree - but the intent of my initial reply was that I don't favor "mix-and-match" style when you have an elite caliber team overall. As an example, -Yes - UCONN "needed" Heather Buck to guard Britney Griner in 10-11. But overall she didn't get many minutes. during the entire season So, am I mixing and matching, or is it more use a player under unusual circumstances?

One could argue that the "Heather Buck type of example" is an example of "mix and match" when UCONN used her vs Baylor. But that wouldn't be the intent from my posts. Because it wasn't a rule imo that UCONN was reacting to each opponent. I'm talking broader. Overall, in close games I believe UCONN had Maya as the center in 10-11 when Stef was taking a rest/in foul trouble on the bench after Walker left that season. They played very small without Stef.

So, my intent is - don’t change your style when you are elite. Going into NCAA's that year UCONN lost 1 game. ND picked them off after 4 tries and it was a lot to do with Stef being in foul trouble. But I look at it overall as UCONN got there because they played consistently to a style that I prefer when you are elite. Challenge the other team to beat you playing the consistent style you want to play. It's why UCONN was able to have up to 36 wins at that point leading into Notre Dame. (this was just a general example.)

 

[EasyEd]

UConn's biggest issue wasn't defense. There were some defensive lapses, but the biggest issue was not valuing the ball and lack of thinking. Too many times players tried to pass into a triple teamed post and seemed surprised that it caused a TO. The next biggest problem was offense consistency. It seemed like there were games where everyone was hitting their shots and then other games (especially February) where it looked like they were just tossing up bricks and "hoping" they would go in. It's always good to excel in all parts of the game and a better defense would be good, but I don't think it caused many (if any) of the losses.