UConn women find success with small lineup, other takeaways from the win over North Carolina
UNCASVILLE — Geno Auriemma and North Carolina coach Courtney Banghart were commiserating before the game. How much different this game might have been if both teams had the players they expected to have when they agreed to play in the Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase.
“I’m sorry we were so injured,” Banghart said, after UConn prevailed, 76-64, Sunday at Mohegan Sun Arena. “We were down to three scholarship guards available and obviously they got a little bit run down. With multiple All-Americans out, we’ve got to get healthy.”
Kayla McPherson, Paulina Paris and Teonni Key were all out of action for UNC, and Reniya Kelly, who was a factor in keeping the Tar Heels close in the first half, got hurt and couldn’t play in the second half. Banghart played seven players, six in the second half.
With a vintage Paige Bueckers performance, UConn women run past North Carolina, 76-64
“Every coach in America is dealing with this,” said Auriemma, who is missing Azzi Fudd, Jana El Alfy, Ayanna Patterson and Caroline Ducharme. “You just hear about it more in Connecticut because of our profile. Carolina, you don’t hear about it as much nationally, but every coach is going through this all over the country. I wishes coaches had an answer for why, but we don’t and unfortunately, the teams you think you’re going to be watching next week, next month, may not look at all like they look today.”
So, yes, the Huskies are not the only team with injured players and navigating the matchups with the players available will be the challenge for Auriemma and his staff. With the Tar Heels depleted at guard, and UConn’s “big” lineup ineffective at Texas, UConn went with a small lineup, with guards KK Arnold, Ashlynn Shade, Nika Muhl and Paige Bueckers surrounding center Aaliyah Edwards. Aubrey Griffin came off the bench and provided eight rebounds. Ice Brady played only three minutes.
The game had the same good quarter/bad quarter template in which UConn has been mired, but generally the approach worked on Sunday. UConn was out-rebounded by 10, but shot 46 percent, including 8 for 17 on threes, and got 21 points off 19 turnovers, 10 of them steals.
“We have to win the math battle,” Auriemma said. “They’re probably going to get more rebounds than we are, we have to force more turnovers. We scored 15 more points than they did from the 3-point line and three more from the free throw line. If we can win that battle on a regular basis, I think we can stay with that small lineup. If we can generate more quickness and more aggressiveness offensively and defensively, because we have more ways to play with that small lineup, then we can stay with it. We need to mix and match.”
UConn got enough rebounds, 33, with the four-guard alignment as Shade and Arnold each picked up four. The Huskies worked on rebounding all week, everybody boxing out, trying to keep Edwards (who got 11) from having to go it alone under the boards. Bueckers had four of UConn’s six blocks.
“There was a huge emphasis on all five guys rebounding,” Bueckers said, “and not just leaving Aaliyah out to there dry. With a smaller lineup, everybody had to box out.”
So for the moment, the smaller lineup earned a win and a thumb’s up. Here are other takeaways from the Huskies’ victory:
Movement: Bueckers had 26 points, four blocks, three steals, two rebounds, but only one assist. This was troubling for Auriemma. “We have to find a way to get people more consistently engaged around her,” he said. “If she’s not getting enough assists, that means we’re not doing a good job of moving without the ball, because she’ll find you if we are. That’s been a serious problem for this team for quite some time now.”
Three’s company: You couldn’t fault UConn’s percentage on threes, but that pointed up Auriemma’s wanting more threes taken. Muhl got open looks and was 4 for 7, and Auriemma would like to see her take more. Shade was 2 for 5, enough to help stretch the floor.
Off the bench: Griffin, who played 27 minutes, was the only Husky to play more than eight minutes off the bench. With Griffin’s versatility, Auriemma was able to use her to spell any of his starting five and keep the rotation short, without playing anyone the full 40.
Room at the top? Before UConn and North Carolina played with their depleted lineups, the top teams in the country made their presence felt in Connecticut. No. 1 South Carolina (10-0) led nearly wire to wire to beat a stubborn No. 11 Utah, 78-69. UCLA, which beat UConn in the Caymans, handled No. 20 Florida State 95-78. The Huskies, who began the season at No. 2, and held the No. 17 spot in the poll released Monday, with UNC falling to No. 25. This Hall of Fame event was another indication of how deep the national field is becoming. As Auriemma pointed out, the tripleheader provided women’s basketball with a chance to gain the country’s attention early in the season.
Big East honors: Bueckers, who scored 41 points in the Huskies wins over Ball State and UNC, was named Big East player of the week. Shade, who had 25 points in the games, was freshman of the week.
Caught up in the draft: The Indiana Fever won the WNBA’s Draft and will pick first next April, followed by Los Angeles, Phoenix, Seattle, so those are potential landing spots for Bueckers, projected as a top five pick, if she chooses not to use her extra year at UConn.
Next: UConn plays No. 18 Louisville (9-1) at the XL Center next Saturday at noon.
