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I must have missed this, what did Clark comeback from?I'm hesitant to state the greatest comeback, but I have no doubt she will reach the pinnacle again. There are many great college players, with Caitlin Clark quickly coming to mind. However, Paige has a presence, a style to her game, a sense where she is in complete control, reminiscent of Roger Federer in his prime. She doesn't react, she is scripting the play.
Aren't they friends? So maybe congrats to my friend for an amazing season?I have been wondering what has been going through Paige's mind reading and hearing so much praise of Clark. If she can play injury free, she will be right back in the spotlight next season, going neck and neck with Clark.
I don't mean in that way. I read where Clark has changed WCBB and other things that Paige did her freshman season. I believe she is happy for her. There will probably some friendly competition next season. I'll just leave it at that.Aren't they friends? So maybe congrats to my friend for an amazing season?
She kind of did. Something like 6 million people tuned in to watch her against South Carolina and she was trending big time on social media. People I know that have no interest in WCBB suddenly knew her name.I don't mean in that way. I read where Clark has changed WCBB and other things that Paige did her freshman season.
Good health is the key to UCONN. Without it, we have to transition to a new generation. I would like to see Patterson show that she is a basketball player. The same with Amari. But I fear we are just dreaming.From your lips to God's ears or to whomever you wish. Don't want someone's underwear to get into a bunch.
I for one would like to see her play for one full year without any leg, arm, brain, ankle, finger, hand, skull, or face injuries and lead the team to a National Championship. Same for Azzi.
And, I would like to see Ayanna Patterson grow 10 inches.
If Paige stays healthy I have not doubt we will remember the coming season for a long, long time. Paige is still the greatest player in college ball because she sees the court and the unfolding play better than anyone, is a great passer, and has the widest array of shot making skills (yeah, yeah Geno she's a damn good defender). A while back Cheryl Reeve talked about "Blaze Checkers" like a 5 year old waiting for Christmas and stated the obvious: "She's a generational player."
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I share most of this sentiment, except for the bolded part. There were other better purer shooters this season -- Taylor Mikesell and Hannah Jump to name two. Maybe Caitlin hit more "clutch" 3s, but I'm not sure even that is true. I would say she meant more to her team than practically any other player in D1. But once Paige returns, even this is likely not to be true. What sticks in my mind is how much Paige means to a team as well stocked as UConn is. It doesn't matter how good the lineup is. Winning without Paige is still damn hard. And because the team is so good, it's really hard to rack up gaudy stats.Caitlin is a great player and I believe the best pure shooter in CWBB but she is not the playmaker that Paige was her freshman year. Those passes she made reminded me of Pistol Pete. I would love to see Paige regain her freshman form and go head to head with Caitlin, that would be a game for the ages!
Winning NCs has no impact on NPOY awards.Agree with what you say, though this is only true because Paige sat out. I guess I win the Captain Obvious award for that one. Still, there's lots of reason to suspect this remark may not age all that well. Also, as always, we have to correct for the statistics fallacy. Paige was better in 20-21 even though Caitlin's stats were gaudier. The NPOY voting wasn't even close. It's too easy to forget this. If Paige takes UConn to an NC and is widely perceived to be the catalyst for it, the same result will emerge. She knows (better than anyone in the land) that NCs are won by teams, not stars.
I share most of this sentiment, except for the bolded part. There were other better purer shooters this season -- Taylor Mikesell and Hannah Jump to name two. Maybe Caitlin hit more "clutch" 3s, but I'm not sure even that is true. I would say she meant more to her team than practically any other player in D1. But once Paige returns, even this is likely not to be true. What sticks in my mind is how much Paige means to a team as well stocked as UConn is. It doesn't matter how good the lineup is. Winning without Paige is still damn hard. And because the team is so good, it's really hard to rack up gaudy stats.
I re-watched their sweet 16 matchup from two years ago, and it is like a microcosm of their entire relationship. They both struggled in the first half, and then both turn it on in the second half. They end up with almost identical stats (the main difference is a garbage time 3 from Caitlin) and UConn wins by 20. Christyn has a great game at both ends, Evina sinks 3 clutch 3s in the first half, two of them directly over Caitlin. Just to be clear about what that last fact says: Christyn shut down Caitlin, and Caitlin couldn't shut down Evina.
Don't get me wrong. I admire Caitlin as a talent, and I am glad to see her sportsmanship has improved since Freshmen year. She was the NPOY this season and deserved it. She carried her team farther than they've ever gone. She even endured taunting with grace and maturity. No one has ever had any reason to complain about Paige's sportsmanship... ever. Watch her games in HS and you see the same Paige -- kind, generous, never a showboat, even kind to opponents. This is who she was in 8th grade. I hope Caitlin attains a similar position in the game next season. It would be wonderful to see.
Like another NPOY few years ago the Iowa team was built around Caitlin and she had to do what she did for that team to thrive. Great player but not Paige.Muhl has the record for assists for a game and a season. By the metric you just used here you would have to conclude Muhl also sees the court or better, and is as good or better passer than Bueckers. If you don’t believe that, then the metric you just used is meaningless for the point you made about it.
Bueckers efficiency stats were phenomenal as a freshman. The freshman Bueckers had a higher shooting percentage than the junior Clark, as was her A/T ratio. They were not just better efficiency stats than the junior Clark, they were the best of any class that year and perhaps the best ever for a freshman. The better A/T ratio means that either Bueckers sees and anticipates better, is a better passer, or both. What Clark’s numbers reveal in comparison is that Iowa relies more heavily on her than UConn does on Bueckers; it also reveals that Iowa’s system generates more possessions per game, creating more statistics of any kind.
How exactly does Paige “know better than anyone in the land” that NCs are won by teams, not stars, especially since she has not won one? How does she know that better than Cameron Brink or Angel Reese ( who have each won one) or Caitlin or Hailey Van Lith who have been to FF but lost? I never understand how folks can make these types of absolute statements absent any fact base. Without facts, at least state it’s an opinion to which we are all entitled. Not sure why we need to constantly make Paige a deity. And yes, I am a longtime UCONN fan. When healthy (which is not often compared to other great players), she is among a handful of the most extremely talented players and in a given year selected as the best. While she shares that rarified air, she does not lord far above all the other extremely talented athletes in women’s basketball no matter how much we wish it to be true. In fact, every WNBA mock draft that I’ve seen has Clark listed first. (Yes, I understand that can easily change.)Agree with what you say, though this is only true because Paige sat out. I guess I win the Captain Obvious award for that one. Still, there's lots of reason to suspect this remark may not age all that well. Also, as always, we have to correct for the statistics fallacy. Paige was better in 20-21 even though Caitlin's stats were gaudier. The NPOY voting wasn't even close. It's too easy to forget this. If Paige takes UConn to an NC and is widely perceived to be the catalyst for it, the same result will emerge. She knows (better than anyone in the land) that NCs are won by teams, not stars.
I share most of this sentiment, except for the bolded part. There were other better purer shooters this season -- Taylor Mikesell and Hannah Jump to name two. Maybe Caitlin hit more "clutch" 3s, but I'm not sure even that is true. I would say she meant more to her team than practically any other player in D1. But once Paige returns, even this is likely not to be true. What sticks in my mind is how much Paige means to a team as well stocked as UConn is. It doesn't matter how good the lineup is. Winning without Paige is still damn hard. And because the team is so good, it's really hard to rack up gaudy stats.
I re-watched their sweet 16 matchup from two years ago, and it is like a microcosm of their entire relationship. They both struggled in the first half, and then both turn it on in the second half. They end up with almost identical stats (the main difference is a garbage time 3 from Caitlin) and UConn wins by 20. Christyn has a great game at both ends, Evina sinks 3 clutch 3s in the first half, two of them directly over Caitlin. Just to be clear about what that last fact says: Christyn shut down Caitlin, and Caitlin couldn't shut down Evina.
Don't get me wrong. I admire Caitlin as a talent, and I am glad to see her sportsmanship has improved since Freshmen year. She was the NPOY this season and deserved it. She carried her team farther than they've ever gone. She even endured taunting with grace and maturity. No one has ever had any reason to complain about Paige's sportsmanship... ever. Watch her games in HS and you see the same Paige -- kind, generous, never a showboat, even kind to opponents. This is who she was in 8th grade. I hope Caitlin attains a similar position in the game next season. It would be wonderful to see.