Doggydaddy's Den: Doggy's Doghouse 11/1/17

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Bowling night so I only saw the first have online. Typical first exhibition game. Most players were off on their outside shots. Plenty of missed plays and poor execution.

If you want to read about what the fans think, go to the UConn site. Plenty of player trashing there. You won't find that here. I don't play that game.

I hope to see the second exhibition game in full and give more of my thoughts on the team coming into the first game.

Geno on Azurà Stevens

"She played pretty well. It was her first game she didn't shoot great from the perimeter you know? But she's anxious you can tell. She gives us a different presence at both ends of the floor, on defense and offense. We saw a little bit of everything today. I'm happy for her. I think she is going to be really, really good for us."

Geno on Katie Lou and getting those 'easy' baskets

"Whenever we play, one of their [the other team's] focal point is 'how do we guard Lou.' So its not easy to get a lot of open looks. Lou has to work really hard to get those. The more we can get her out in the open floor the better."

Geno on the new players

"Our next game we play is Sunday and as the games go on they get a little bit better. The only negative of trying to play a lot of players is that your offense suffers. You cant possibly run good offense and get great shots every time down the floor."

Katie Lou Samuelson (Guard/Forward)
On adding new players, especially Azura Stevens:

"We're adding some great players, all the way to Z, all the freshmen, they're really talented. The younger guys definitely have a longer way to go than Z does, but having Z out there has been amazing. She probably couldn't have played better, especially on defense."

Kia Nurse (Guard) On who played well tonight:

"I think we had a lot of contributions from a lot of different people. I think Pheesa [Napheesa Collier] was very good on defense, her ability to get in the lane and block shots and help us out, and then obviously knock down shots on the offensive end. I think Z [Azura Stevens] came alive tonight, I think she did a really good job on both ends of the floor for us, so that was exciting to see."

Azura Stevens (Forward/Guard)
On the difference between playing and practicing:

"I think it just adds another level of pressure, but you kind of force yourself to get it right because it's in a game, you don't have a couple chances to do it over. I'm trying to have that mentality of playing hard on every single possession seems to work out in your favor."

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Notre Dame transfer from Nebraska Jessica Shepard was granted her waiver request by the NCAA.

I think all the coaches that accept transfers should put in for waivers now since there is a new line that has been set.

From the NCAA site - Waiver: An action that sets aside an NCAA rule because a specific, extraordinary circumstance prevents you from meeting the rule. An NCAA school may file a waiver on your behalf; you cannot file a waiver for yourself. The school does not administer the waiver, the conference office or NCAA does.

I wonder what was the extraordinary circumstance here? From her own words - “I had no issue with Nebraska,” Shepard said. “Ultimately it came down to what I wanted to accomplish in college and the next level. Nebraska just wasn’t the place to get me there.”

No issue with Nebraska? Then what the hell could the reason be? What a bunch of bullshit.

As my friend Cat says - WAIVERS FOR EVERYONE!!!

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Great article in the UConn links section about Azura Stevens. And of course, what would a UConn article be without the prerequisite Geno quote.

“Azura should feel a lot better. This is what, our 12th practice? And she just blocked her second shot so she should feel better,”

Love it. That quote made me think about what Geno wants from Stevens this season. He says she is the best shooter on "the team, any team". That is saying something. But clearly he wants and needs her to be a post presence for this team to reach it's potential.

Stevens played primarily the wing at Duke although she played plenty of post defense. But not UConn defense. She has a ways to go to reach that level.

Interestingly enough, her last year at Duke (her sophomore season) statistically was something I'm sure Geno would take in a minute. In her 31.5 minutes per game, she scored 18.9 points and grabbed 9.6 rebounds.

P.S. - She did have several blocks against Fort Hays State.

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