Providence Postgame Thread

[BRS24]

What I like best about our team...

Passing – they pass like they play infield with an MLB team, what great arms. Half-court, line drive, pinpoint accuracy, behind the back, no-look, over the shoulder – just WOW in their ability and how they’ve been coached to develop this skill. Not just Nika but the entire starting six from AE to Caroline Ducharme to Azzi, etc. Super fun to watch and WAY superior to most teams.

Geno has said many times that if you won't/don't/can't pass, you cannot play for UConn. You either have it when you get there, or learn to do it.

 

[Bald Husky]

I was most impressed with the steals from Nika and Aubrey coming from picture perfect defensive positioning. It was like watching a shell drill taken seriously by a well disciplined defensive machine. The whole team needs to be totally committed to defense for that to work so well in a game.

I simply loved the replay of Nikas first steal early in the game. Her eyes were fixed on not only her player, but the player with the ball who made the bad decision to pass it to Nikas player, or actually, TRIED to pass it to Nikas player. Great camera work there, and great defense by the way. Love this girl.

 

[HuskyNan]

Well I guess that makes at least 2 guys who consider Azzi and Paige as maybe better options at PG. I would say PROBABLY. Why it's even controversial should be the surprise. We are blessed with a LOT of options and they only get better next year, including a solid penetrating PG named KK.

Paige and Azzi are not better point guards than Nika. Are they better shooters and scorers? Absolutely yes but there is no planet in which Paige will get 12 assists, rebound, defend the best guard, and eventually win Defensive Player of the Year like Nika and continue to score in bunches. Paige can make assists, rebound, and defend but not to the degree that Nika can.

Besides, why would you have your two best scorers tire themselves out defending people like Olivia Miles?

 

[Bald Husky]

Paige and Azzi are not better point guards than Nika. Are they better shooters and scorers? Absolutely yes but there is no planet in which Paige will get 12 assists, rebound, defend the best guard, and eventually win Defensive Player of the Year like Nika and continue to score in bunches. Paige can make assists, rebound, and defend but not to the degree that Nika can. Besides, why would you have your two best scorers tire themselves out defending people like Olivia Miles?

Great post Nan, best explanation yet for this potential situation.

 

[Skeets]

And beyond focusing on Sundays game wouldn’t it be refreshing to celebrate what our players have been doing THIS season and what THIS group of players will do THIS season.

Speculation of what will be next season and what combination of players will achieve it seems rather premature. Speaking only for myself, i’m pretty excited about seeing what happens THIS season and all these ‘if only’s’ and ‘what ifs’ would suggest that some rather than doing so are biding their time until the real excitement happens next year!

Can’t we celebrate ThIS year’s squad and what they will achieve? We’ll have the whole summer to hyper analyze and postulate 23-24 and no doubt we will ad naseum!

Oh, I agree 100%. We have all summer to beat the snot out of who starts, how many minutes, etc. for the 23-24 season. Can we wait until then? (FYI, Nika starts. )

 

[Skeets]

But I think Morgan better sit on Paige.

Duct tape her to the chair.

 

[my2cents]

I don't know why I read all these posts because by page 3, they always go off the rails.
Our focus this year is to get NUMBER 12, that's it. We don't need to worry about next year's starters, crazy.
I thought the most interesting thing from the game yesterday was that with extended minutes for Amari and Ines, they both played really well, and could help us down the road.

 

[#12in21]

Here's my analysis: I liked the game. Fell asleep at the end of the first half and missed the second. All I remember is Lou making a 3 at the buzzer that ended the 1st half. That is what happens when you are a golden golden.

Betting you stay awake all through Sunday's game!

 

[HopJim]

Brings a smile when after every game most posters ignore Lou Lopez's contributions. Usually the 2nd top scorer, Lou's 3's often come when the other team is mounting a comeback. One of the more clutch shooters I have seen at UConn.

 

[#12in21]

I simply loved the replay of Nikas first steal early in the game. Her eyes were fixed on not only her player, but the player with the ball who made the bad decision to pass it to Nikas player, or actually, TRIED to pass it to Nikas player. Great camera work there, and great defense by the way. Love this girl.

Often when you watch a replay of any of Nika's steals her eyes are burning a hole through the ball. She is like Gullum and THE RING, ' In her mind she keeps saying my precious, my precious'!

 

[Dogstar]

Great post Nan, best explanation yet for this potential situation.

I agree Nan, I thk a lot of people scan the box score and just concentrate on the scoring and rebounding columns, but the intangibles are very important in the totality of the overall outcome of the game. Defense, control of the pace and making sure tht everyone's where they're supposed to be on the sets are crucial, esp for the newbies .

 

[HopJim]

While in the past I have been neutral regarding Nika's overall contribution, her ability to lead the fast break has fueled UConn's current high level of performance. Paige in particular is one of the past passers in history, but its unlikely she will come back with the speed to produce all those Aubrey and other player's fast break layups. Speed is an asset that UConn has over Stanford and South Carolina that Geno is likely to want to maintain.

 

[eebmg]

Brings a smile when after every game most posters ignore Lou Lopez's contributions. Usually the 2nd top scorer, Lou's 3's often come when the other team is mounting a comeback. One of the more clutch shooters I have seen at UConn.

Agreed and she hit the first 3 when all other players were working on getting inside (with admittedly great success including her). She seems the calmest of them all.

 

[ctchamps]

Paige and Azzi are not better point guards than Nika. Are they better shooters and scorers? Absolutely yes but there is no planet in which Paige will get 12 assists, rebound, defend the best guard, and eventually win Defensive Player of the Year like Nika and continue to score in bunches. Paige can make assists, rebound, and defend but not to the degree that Nika can. Besides, why would you have your two best scorers tire themselves out defending people like Olivia Miles?

This. @HuskyNan (sorry phone messed up and quoted some other post).

Plus Nika brings pace and emotional intensity that energizes her teammates even more than the positive encouragement that Paige provides (which say a lot).

There are moments in games that you need a star player to step up and take over a game and we have those players.

But the downside is that supporting players end up feeling the need to defer to the stars and that causes stagnation.

I really enjoy the flow of this team under Nika’s leadership. And it’s obvious to me that Geno does as well when Nika plays like she has this season.

 

[jazz]

is not a point guard...she can play it if you need her to but she is a pure scoring/shooting guard. PB can play point and shooting guard. I can see GA going with all three in the game...even against bigger lineups since bigger lineups will not be able to guard these 3, teams will need to go smaller to try to match up. GA will have some tough decisions next year, but we havn't even got to the mid point of this year yet.

 

[RedStickHusky]

I am really weary of seeing this board split into opposing sides over starting lineups... As if our opinions matter. You can only start five. If you have more than five that deserve starter minutes, it's on Geno and Chris to manage, but players are gonna play. Other than that, for you cultist Nikalytes on this board that want to attack anyone for the slightest criticism of your chosen one, give it a rest. She doesn't need your impassioned defense. There are things at which she is great and things that others do better. Sometimes we need those things. It's all just more buttons for Geno to push.

 

[Surly1]

I'm not so sure about that..... I could see a Nika, Paige, Azzi, Aubrey, and Edwards starting line up....

The only starting line up changes from this year to next will have Paige inserted into Lou's spot, which would have been Paige this year if she didn't get injured. Either Aubrey or Caroline will be in the '4' spot.

At this point, why some people can't see what Nika brings to this team is beyond me. She is a starter and will remain so for the remainder of her UConn career. She has earned it - she's worked her ass off and has improved all aspects of her game. She's taken advantage of her opportunity with Paige's absence and everyone has benefitted.

It will be a 3-guard offense with a combination of shooting, excellent ball handling & distribution, unselfish play, decent size and a loaded bench. Next year, UConn will be in full game transition mode.

 

[Bone Dog]

Thanks to @MJL243 for posting the replay! I’ve watched the game three times now, and will probably watch it again before Sunday. I loved every minute of it. Especially Inês and Amari. This could be the beginning of a good season for each of them.

I’m also waiting to see my wish come true: the “All A” starting 5. Wut? We all have our crazy dreams.

 

[Geew1992]

Unfortunately, she (Nika) won't start next year. The Paige and Azzi thumping begins next year. Add Jana and WOW

Ugh….so glad Geno is the coach

 

[Geew1992]

I have an early New Years wish that nobody on this site ever suggests again that Nika will not start next year.

This didn’t age well

 

[NC28604]

Is it just me or does anyone else see Edwards' game starting to mirror Robert Parrish in the 80's? just boom, there she is, and, how did she make that look so effortless?

 

[The CDR-Ret]

My favorite thing about this game was seeing the starters rest. That means everything has gone according to plan. I don't know how he takes Aubrey out of the line-up she is their best finisher around the rim. Azzi played efficient and this pre-Notre Dame warm up was good for her. Next game I know she's going off. Nika with some great passes, Ines gets in the scorer's column, Amari finishing and looking like she drank some coffee was good.

Excited for Sunday

Especially like the part about "looking like she drank some coffee"...

Another coffee-achiever in the making, will be good vs. uND

Go Huskies!

 

[RedStickHusky]

there is no planet in which Paige will get 12 assists, rebound, defend the best guard, and eventually win Defensive Player of the Year like Nika

• Surrounded by shooters, no reason to think Paige wouldn't get close to same # of assists and make up the difference with her scoring.
• They NDPOY point will be better after she wins but it's still not NPOY.
• All that said, I don't think the decision comes to who is a better PG; it's what is our best 5. Could very well include Nika but she'd be sending a pretty good player to the bench...
• We're all working on strong assumptions regarding Paige's ability to come back from consecutive knee injuries. Probably not a guarantee...

 

[Cornell Lt]

Nika aint going anywhere. Until such time as there is a different coaching staff on the sidelines, Ms. Muhl is and will be the starting PG of this team

 

[darrell]

Honestly, who wouldn’t want to be Paige’s teammate?