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UConn's defense steps up
While it's easy to look at the 21 points scored by Maya Moore and Tiffany Hayes and the 64.3 field-goal percentage in the first half by UConn and saw it was just another day when the Huskies were simply too explosive for their opponent in Wednesday's 84-52 win over St. John's at Madison Square Garden.
But considering how well St. John's played UConn in the regular season in the last two seasons, it was impossible to overlook the defensive effort by the Huskies. UConn tipped a myriad of passes by the Red Storm, something they have not been doing in recent weeks. The performance did not go unnoticed by UConn coach Geno Auriemma.
"We have spent a lot of time in the last couple of days on the defensive end," Auriemma said. "We probably played more zone today than we have in a long, long time trying a a couple of different kind of zones so we aren't giving teams a chance to get into a nice little rhythm and I thought the kids worked really hard at keeping St. John's away from the lane. We did tip a lot of passes, we did cause a lot of tipped balls. I think when you have Kelly (Faris) and Maya (Moore) on the back end of that zone, it really makes it active. It is a very aggressive defense with those guys back there."
Auriemma rewarded senior guard Lorin Dixon, who grew up in Springfield Gardens, N.Y., by giving her just her third start of the season and first in the last nine games.
"For us, you are trying to do the things that make kids feel good about themselves," Auriemma said. "For Lorin, it's the last trip she is probably going to make down here as a player. Playing St. John's in Madison Square Garden, it has to be a great thrill for a kid. No matter how many times you play here, you always look forward to playing here. It is different from any other place and I think she appreciates that more than other players because she grew up here."
The win was Auriemma's 750th. He is the seventh Division I women's coach to reach that milestone. It's ironic that of the Huskies next four games, two are against coaches in the 750-win club (North Carolina's Sylvia Hatchell and C. Vivian Stringer of Rutgers).
But considering how well St. John's played UConn in the regular season in the last two seasons, it was impossible to overlook the defensive effort by the Huskies. UConn tipped a myriad of passes by the Red Storm, something they have not been doing in recent weeks. The performance did not go unnoticed by UConn coach Geno Auriemma.
"We have spent a lot of time in the last couple of days on the defensive end," Auriemma said. "We probably played more zone today than we have in a long, long time trying a a couple of different kind of zones so we aren't giving teams a chance to get into a nice little rhythm and I thought the kids worked really hard at keeping St. John's away from the lane. We did tip a lot of passes, we did cause a lot of tipped balls. I think when you have Kelly (Faris) and Maya (Moore) on the back end of that zone, it really makes it active. It is a very aggressive defense with those guys back there."
Auriemma rewarded senior guard Lorin Dixon, who grew up in Springfield Gardens, N.Y., by giving her just her third start of the season and first in the last nine games.
"For us, you are trying to do the things that make kids feel good about themselves," Auriemma said. "For Lorin, it's the last trip she is probably going to make down here as a player. Playing St. John's in Madison Square Garden, it has to be a great thrill for a kid. No matter how many times you play here, you always look forward to playing here. It is different from any other place and I think she appreciates that more than other players because she grew up here."
The win was Auriemma's 750th. He is the seventh Division I women's coach to reach that milestone. It's ironic that of the Huskies next four games, two are against coaches in the 750-win club (North Carolina's Sylvia Hatchell and C. Vivian Stringer of Rutgers).
Labels: Geno Auriemma, Lorin Dixon, Maya Moore, Tiffany Hayes
posted by Jim Fuller at
12:34 AM
4 Comments:
Jim, sorry to do this, but "myriad" is an adjective, not a noun. So it should read: "UConn tipped myriad passes..."
Sorry to nitpick!
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Jim Fuller, which do you think is worse? :)
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• Someone complaining about UConn recruiting
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• Someone complaining about UConn player performances
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• Someone complaining about comments others made
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• Someone complaining about spelling or grammatical errors.
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earlier I had wondered if UConn was playing more zone this year than in previous years...they opened last night in a 2 - 3 zone, then switched into a 2 - 1 - 2 for a stretch, then went back into the 2 - 3.
Then I see the story about Geno and Jim Boeheim being good friends, now I read this story about Geno experimenting on various zones, and I guess it was not just inattention on my part in prior seasons, maybe they are playing more zone this year after all.
Again, I'm curious to the reason, it is the disproportionate number of first-year students? Is it because they lack the combination of experience and size they've had inside in prior seasons? I remember a relentless switching 'man-to-man' so to speak, and I do notice that in every game, just not as often as I remember it in prior years.
Jim, might you ask Geno about it if you remember and the opportunity arises?
Of course he may very well give a delightful rambling 'answer' that doesn't actually answer the question if he is afraid it will give too much information to upcoming opponents, still even that would be revealing.
Thanks!
Geno addressed the question about UConn playing more zone this year on his CPTV show Sat. morning.
To paraphrase, he said that when we play a passing team, we 'eat them up' and we are vulnerable against a team with good dribble-drive penetration, and so we play a zone against them to stop the drive. That leaves us vulnerable to open threes.'
He did not expand upon why they are vulnerable to a dribble-drive team.
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