UConn Women's Basketball Plays: Auriemma's Strong and Elbow Sets

UConn women's basketball plays from Geno Auriemma: the Strong set out of transition and the 1-4 high Elbow series, drawn frame by frame.

UConn women's basketball plays on this page are Geno Auriemma's Strong set out of transition and his 1-4 high Elbow series, with every frame drawn and every player placed.

UConn women's basketball plays on this page come from Geno Auriemma's offense at UConn. The first group is Strong, a half-court set the team flows into straight out of transition: post looks first, then a weak-side staggered screen, a high ball screen and a pick and roll from the corner, plus a dribble entry for when the wing is denied. The second group is the Elbow series, three short plays from a 1-4 high set that all start with a pass to the right elbow. This page draws 5 plays across 19 frames, and the text under each frame names where all five players are and where each one goes. The UConn men's sets are on a separate page, UConn basketball plays.

Every action starts with a look inside. Strong feeds the post before the ball moves, and each Elbow play gives the player at the elbow a pass to a cutter at the rim before the second action starts.

UConn Women's Basketball Plays at a Glance

The first two rows are Strong: the full set in eight frames and the push dribble entry in two. The last three rows are the Elbow series, three frames each. Strong and Elbow Strong share a word but are different plays: Strong is the transition set, and Elbow Strong is the entry to the elbow on the strong side of the 1-4 high set. Two frames end with the ball handler shooting from outside, and those shots are named in the text rather than drawn. Other 1-4 high plays that are not tied to UConn are left off this page, and the rest of the 1-4 family is on 1-4 high basketball plays.

Play	Family	Frames	What it does
Strong	The Strong Set Out of Transition	8	Out of transition: the post runs to the ball-side block, the wing catches, the point guard cuts to the corner and the trailer fills the top. Post looks first, then a weak-side stagger, a high ball screen and a corner pick and roll.
Strong Push Entry	The Strong Set Out of Transition	2	When the defense denies the wing pass, the point guard dribbles at the wing and pushes her to the corner. Every spot then matches Strong, with the two guards traded.
Elbow Strong	The 1-4 High Elbow Series	3	The entry goes to the right elbow, the passer screens for the right wing's back cut, and the elbow then runs a dribble hand-off into a three-player game on the right side.
Elbow Middle	The 1-4 High Elbow Series	3	The passer cuts down the middle and sets a flex screen for the left wing, then comes back out off a down screen for a three or a post feed.
Elbow Weak	The 1-4 High Elbow Series	3	The left post screens the passer twice. In between, the passer screens for the left wing's cut to the rim. A switch on the second screen opens the slip.

How to Read These Diagrams

Every play is drawn frame by frame, one diagram for each frame of the original, and the text under each diagram says where every player starts and where he goes. The basket is at the bottom of each diagram. Sides are named as a player sees them facing the basket, so the left wing is on the right side of the picture. A solid arrow is a cut, a dashed arrow is a pass, a wavy line is a dribble and a line ending in a short bar is a screen. The diagram guide covers the symbols in full. No offensive player starts a frame standing in the lane. Where a source frame had someone there, he is drawn on the nearest lane line or block.

The Strong Set Out of Transition

Strong

Out of transition: the post runs to the ball-side block, the wing catches, the point guard cuts to the corner and the trailer fills the top. Post looks first, then a weak-side stagger, a high ball screen and a corner pick and roll.

Strong, frame 1: the wing entry and the cut to the corner.

Frame 1. Strong comes straight out of transition. 1 pushes the ball up the floor, a little right of the middle, 2 has sprinted to the right wing, 5 to the right block and 3 to the left wing. 4 is the rebounder, trailing the play on the left side. 1 dribbles on toward the right wing, passes to 2 and cuts around the outside of 2 to the right corner. 4 fills the top of the key. 2's first look is 5 posting up on the right block for a layup.

Strong, frame 2: the reversal and the high-low look.

Frame 2. 2 has the ball on the right wing, 1 is in the right corner, 5 on the right block, 3 on the left wing and 4 at the top of the key. 5 is not open, so 2 passes to 4. 5 seals her defender and steps into the middle of the lane, and 4's first look is the high-low pass to her. If the high-low is not there, 4 swings the ball to 3 on the left wing.

Strong, frame 3: the post look and the weak-side stagger.

Frame 3. Between frames, 5 crosses the lane to the left block as the ball swings, a move with no arrow. 3 has the ball on the left wing, 1 is in the right corner, 2 on the right wing and 4 at the top of the key. 3 looks inside to 5 posting up on the left block. At the same time 2 and 4 set a staggered double screen for 1 on the weak side: 2 screens down toward the right baseline, inside the arc, and 4 slides down from the top of the key to screen just inside the arc on the right side, above 2.

Strong, frame 4: 1 comes off the stagger to the top.

Frame 4. 3 has the ball on the left wing, 5 is on the left block, 1 in the right corner, and 2 and 4 stand as the staggered double screen on the right side, 2 low and 4 high. 1 sets up the cut, then runs up off both screens, around the outside of them, and comes to the top of the key for the pass from 3. 1 can shoot the three right there. 5 cuts back across the lane toward the right block.

Strong, frame 5: the high ball screen.

Frame 5. 1 did not shoot. Between frames, 5 finishes her cut on the right block, 2 drifts from her screen to the right corner and 4 steps up from her screen to just above the right elbow, moves with no arrows. 1 has the ball at the top of the key and 3 is on the left wing. 4 ball-screens for 1, and 1 dribbles right off the screen toward the right wing. 1 can shoot, pass to 5 on the right block, or pass to 4, who steps back off the screen to the free-throw line. 3 drops from the left wing to the left corner.

Strong, frame 6: the high-post options.

Frame 6. 4 has the ball at the free-throw line. 1 has slid out from the end of her dribble to the right wing, a move with no arrow. 2 is in the right corner, 5 on the right block and 3 in the left corner. 4 can shoot from the free-throw line. Her next look is 5, who seals her defender and steps into the lane for the high-low pass. If neither is open, 4 passes to 3 in the left corner.

Strong, frame 7: 4 sprints to the corner ball screen.

Frame 7. 3 has the ball in the left corner, 4 is at the free-throw line, 5 on the right block, 2 in the right corner and 1 on the right wing. 3's first look is the three. If she does not shoot, 4 sprints from the free-throw line to the left short corner and sets a ball screen for 3.

Strong, frame 8: the corner pick and roll.

Frame 8. 3 has the ball in the left corner and 4 has set the ball screen just above her, toward the lane. 5 is on the right block, 2 in the right corner, and 1 has moved up from the right wing to the right slot, a move with no arrow. 3 dribbles off the screen toward the left side of the lane and 4 rolls along the baseline toward the rim. 3 can shoot, hit 4 on the roll, pass to 5 on the right block, or kick out to 2 in the right corner or 1 in the right slot for a three.

Strong Push Entry

When the defense denies the wing pass, the point guard dribbles at the wing and pushes her to the corner. Every spot then matches Strong, with the two guards traded.

Strong Push Entry, frame 1: the push dribble.

Frame 1. Push is the dribble entry for when the defense denies the first pass. The start is the same as Strong: 1 has the ball coming up the floor, 2 is on the right wing, 5 on the right block, 3 on the left wing and 4 trails on the left side. 1 dribbles straight at 2 toward the right wing, and that pushes 2 down to the right corner. 4 fills the top of the key.

Strong Push Entry, frame 2: Strong from the wing.

Frame 2. 1 has the ball on the right wing, 2 is in the right corner, 5 on the right block, 3 on the left wing and 4 at the top of the key. Every spot now matches Strong, with 1 and 2 traded. 1 looks inside to 5 first. If 5 is not open, she passes to 4 at the top, and Strong runs as usual from there.

The 1-4 High Elbow Series

Elbow Strong

The entry goes to the right elbow, the passer screens for the right wing's back cut, and the elbow then runs a dribble hand-off into a three-player game on the right side.

Elbow Strong, frame 1: the entry and the screen for the cut.

Frame 1. 1-4 high: 1 has the ball well above the top of the key, 5 is at the left elbow, 4 at the right elbow, 3 on the left wing and 2 on the right wing. 1 passes to 4 and goes to screen for 2 just inside the arc on the right side. 2 cuts off the screen, passing on the baseline side of 1, to the rim. 4 can hit her for a layup.

Elbow Strong, frame 2: the dribble hand-off.

Frame 2. 2 did not get the ball and stays on the right block. After her screen, 1 has stepped out to the right wing, a move with no arrow. 4 has the ball at the right elbow, 5 is at the left elbow and 3 on the left wing. 4 dribbles toward the right wing, and 1 comes back toward her on the outside of the dribble and takes the hand-off just inside the arc at the right slot.

Elbow Strong, frame 3: the three-player game on the right.

Frame 3. 1 has the ball just inside the arc at the right slot after the hand-off. 4 has popped out to the right wing and 2 is still on the right block. On the left, 5 has stepped out from the left elbow to the left wing and 3 has dropped to the left corner, moves with no arrows. 1 attacks off the dribble toward the right elbow, and 1, 4 and 2 play a three-player game on the right side. 5 and 3 wait outside the arc for a kick-out pass.

Elbow Middle

The passer cuts down the middle and sets a flex screen for the left wing, then comes back out off a down screen for a three or a post feed.

Elbow Middle, frame 1: the cut through the middle and the flex screen.

Frame 1. 1-4 high: 1 has the ball well above the top of the key, 5 is at the left elbow, 4 at the right elbow, 3 on the left wing and 2 on the right wing. 1 passes to 4 and cuts down the middle of the lane between the elbows, then turns to the left block and sets a flex screen for 3. 3 cuts off it along the baseline to the right side of the rim, and 4 can pass to her for a layup.

Elbow Middle, frame 2: 5 screens down for 1.

Frame 2. 3 did not get the ball and stays on the right block. 1 is on the left block after her flex screen, 4 has the ball at the right elbow, 5 is at the left elbow and 2 on the right wing. 5 screens down for 1, and 1 cuts off it out to the left wing for the pass from 4.

Elbow Middle, frame 3: the three or the post feed.

Frame 3. 1 has the ball on the left wing. After her down screen, 5 has stepped to the left block to post up, and 3 has drifted from the right block to the right short corner, moves with no arrows. 4 is at the right elbow and 2 on the right wing. 1 is often open for the three here. If not, she passes inside to 5, who may have a smaller defender on her after the down screen.

Elbow Weak

The left post screens the passer twice. In between, the passer screens for the left wing's cut to the rim. A switch on the second screen opens the slip.

Elbow Weak, frame 1: the entry and 5's first screen.

Frame 1. 1-4 high: 1 has the ball well above the top of the key, 5 is at the left elbow, 4 at the right elbow, 3 on the left wing and 2 on the right wing. 1 passes to 4. 3 drops from the left wing to the left corner. 5 steps out from the left elbow and screens for 1, and 1 cuts over the screen to the left slot. 5 screens for 1 twice in this play.

Elbow Weak, frame 2: 1 screens for 3, then comes off 5 again.

Frame 2. Between frames, 1 has gone down from the left slot to a spot low on the left side, inside the arc between the left block and the left corner, and 5 has moved out to just inside the arc at the left slot, moves with no arrows. 3 is in the left corner, 4 has the ball at the right elbow and 2 is on the right wing. 1 screens for 3, and 3 cuts inside off it across the front of the rim for a pass from 4. Then 5 screens for 1 a second time, and 1 turns and comes up off it to the left slot. If the defense switches that screen, 5 slips it and cuts toward the rim, and 4 passes to her.

Elbow Weak, frame 3: the shot or the post feed.

Frame 3. 1 is at the left slot after coming off 5's second screen, and 4 has the ball at the right elbow. 5 has posted up on the left block and 3 has stopped on the right block after her cut, moves with no arrows. 2 is on the right wing. 4 passes to 1, who can shoot the three or pass inside to 5 posting up on the left block.

Ideas That Repeat

The post is the first read. In Strong the wing looks inside before the reversal, and the high-low comes from the top of the key and from the free-throw line.
The post seals her defender and steps into the lane as the ball moves above her, so the high-low pass has an open target.
A screener is the next threat. In Strong the ball screener steps back to the free-throw line, in Elbow Middle the down screener posts a smaller defender, and in Elbow Weak the screener slips to the rim on a switch.
The weak side is never idle. Strong's stagger and Elbow Weak's double screen both run away from the ball for a shooter coming to the top or the slot.
Every Elbow play gives the elbow a pass to a cutter at the rim first, then a second action for a shot.
Corners stay filled, so the ball screens and drives have kick-out passes for threes.

The pieces of Strong are covered in early offense and secondary break, high-low offense, stagger screens from the corner and pick and roll. The Elbow series ties into elbow offense, dribble hand-off, flex basketball plays and down screen basketball. UConn women's basketball is one of the programs on the college basketball plays page under the Offense hub. Install the post look first, then add one action at a time until the second read comes without a call.

Questions Coaches Ask About UConn Women's Basketball Plays

What is the Strong set?

A half-court set run straight out of transition. The post sprints to the ball-side block, a wing sprints to the wing, the point guard passes to that wing and cuts to the corner, and the rebounder trails to the top of the key. The post is the first look, then the ball is reversed for a high-low pass and a weak-side staggered screen.

What happens if the defense denies the first pass in Strong?

The point guard dribbles at the wing and pushes her down to the corner. Every spot then matches Strong with the two guards traded, and the set runs as usual.

What are the options after the stagger in Strong?

The guard who comes to the top can shoot the three. If she does not, the trailer ball-screens for her, then steps back to the free-throw line for a shot or a high-low pass. The last action is a pick and roll from the left corner with kick-outs to both shooters on the far side.

What is the Elbow series?

Three plays from a 1-4 high set, each starting with a pass to the right elbow. Elbow Strong screens for the right wing's back cut and then runs a dribble hand-off. Elbow Middle sends the passer through the middle to set a flex screen and then brings her back off a down screen. Elbow Weak has the left post screen the passer twice, with a cut for the left wing in between.

When does the screener slip in Elbow Weak?

When the defense switches the second screen for the passer. The screener cuts to the rim instead and the elbow passes to her for a layup.

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