2024-25 Starting Lineup

[CTBballfan243]

I agree that incumbent starters get the benefit of the doubt, but that's it. If say Azzi and Sarah were clearly better than Shade and KK in practice then they can start. Shade and KK are pretty good players now, and could get better, but Azzi and Sarah could be great players, maybe even Jana too. If they perform as expected they probably will be better than Shade and KK. IMO.

With all Azzi’s knee problems I suspect that her lateral mobility is going to be a major problem for her. Her defense could be problematic. I hope I’m wrong.

 

[faninwisc]

I think we are going to see a variety of staring rotations to start out the season and maybe even going into Big East play. IF everyone one is healthy we will have nine players on this team that have started at one point or another. Geno could also switch up the starting line up based on who they are playing. The wild card in all of this is going to be Sarah. She is going to be too big and strong for a guard to handle and her quickness and range will be too hard for a big. Geno has always wanted a team with potionless players and this upcoming year, he might finally have it.

 

[DEpup]

I don't think we'll see Paige as the primary PG again.... That is not her destiny in the WNBA, similar to a DT type career.

 

[Bone Dog]

... The wild card in all of this is going to be Sarah. She is going to be too big and strong for a guard to handle and her quickness and range will be too hard for a big. Geno has always wanted a team with potionless players and this upcoming year, he might finally have it.

totally agree about Sarah. Paige started from day 1 of freshman year. I suspect Sarah will end up starting before the end of January. Like Paige, she’s a very court-savvy player with a difficult mix of skills to matchup against. Kids like that don’t sit on the bench for long.

Also you make a good point about positionless players. Geno might easily start a team of 6’ and larger players capable of switching 1-5 and all initiating the fast break. For example, Paige Caroline Morgan Aubrey Sarah. This group would be a nightmare to defend. Think the Gabby-KLS-Phee teams. Quick passes, relentless defense, getting into passing lanes, running the break.

 

[ERWUC65]

No one is mentioning that the lineups will be different depending on the style of play. With 10+ healthy starters of this talent level, UConn could have a group for half court and a group for press/transition.

 

[CTtoSanDiego]

I'm pretty sure Paige will start... other than that, it's all speculation.... one of the Boneyard's favorite things...

 

[Cuango]

The only players that have earned starting spots are Paige, KK, and Shade. I would be shocked if Geno gave starting spots to players who haven’t earn it.

As always, playing time, starting or otherwise will be earned in practice!

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

With a Roster that lists:
Amari DeBerry - 6'6"
Jana El Alfy - 6'5"
Ice Brady - 6'3"
Ayanna Patterson - 6'2"/6'3" (?)
Carolyn Ducharme - 6'2"
Sarah Strong - 6'2"
Morgan Chelli - 6'2"
Aubrey Griffin - 6'1"
Paige Bueckers - 6'0
Qadence Samuels - 6'0"
Allie Ziebell - 6'0"
Azzi Fudd - 5'11"
Ashlynn Shade - 5'10"
KK Arnold - 5'9"
Ines Bettencourt - 5'9"

IMHO the early season lineups will be:
Paige
KK
Ashlynn/Ice (depending if Geno wants to go big)
Sarah
Jana (has been practicing with the team now for about 3+ weeks and she has looked awesome according to Geno)

As players recover from their injuries/surgeries:
Paige
KK
Azzi (at least 12+ months after surgery)
Sarah
Jana

Early Substitutes:
Caroline (if cleared)
Ayanna (if cleared)
Morgan
Allie
Quadence

Tough to get minutes:
Ines
Amari

Longest recovery:
Aubrey (as she had major damage done and may not be ready till February 13 months)

Geno might want to run hockey lines out there!
5/5/5
Full court presses the whole game!

 

[LGITB]

Azzi will not be ready at the start of the season. Protocol for ACL is at least 12 months. There is a reason why Paige didn’t play on the European tour. Audrey is at least January if that Protocol is followed.

That's not exactly precise. Research proves 9 months and 12 months are identical in terms od rehab results for ACL. Of course, the more recovery time a plater gets, the better. But if the rehab goes great and on point - 9 months is sufficient.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

That's not exactly precise. Research proves 9 months and 12 months are identical in terms od rehab results for ACL. Of course, the more recovery time a plater gets, the better. But if the rehab goes great and on point - 9 months is sufficient.

Exactly. Where everyone is getting 12 month’s minimum I have no idea. Some people return after 6 months.

 

[hoophuskee]

I don't expect in the beginning of the year Azzi to start. How can anyone trust her health? If she gets hurt again even if just a game here or there - do we really want a roving starting lineup? What difference would it make early to have her come off the bench and play a bunchof games before considering having her start?

And i'm not sure what "a startng 2nd 5 means." Geno is not going to replace his First-5 unit with another unit if that was the intent.

For me - KK, Paige, Ash, Sarah, and Ice.
IMO I believe Paige is best suited to play off the ball until/unless Azzi is healthy and/or players like Sarah and/or Ash and/or Allie and/or Caroline are amazing scoring threats that rival Paige.

 

[Hayven]

Paige, Ashlyn, KK, and Sarah. That last spot is up for grabs between Ice and Jana.

Azzi will eventually start but later in season as she begins to get back to herself.

As much as I would like Geno to use more than 7 players a game, I don’t think he will right now.

We don’t know if Caroline will be able to play. Aubrey probably won’t be back for several months. I believe this is her second ACL tear.
As much as I like what Morgan and Allie bring, Geno typically likes to rely on his experienced players.
Which is also unfortunate for Ines, Q, and Amari.
Ayanna will probably be a rotation player.

 

[Topsail]

I will say there will be serious competition for minutes next year. The start of the season will feature Paige, Shade and kk as starters the rest TBD. Who gets the other starters spots will be determined in the Fall. Shade and Kk could lose their starter spots after a few games depending on performance compared to the other talented players. I do think this will drive returning players to work hard on their weaknesses this off season.

 

[CTFIRERETIRED]

The lineup will be what it will be.
Let's just hope that there will not be as many injuries this year as in the past, so we'll be able to argue and consider the different lineup possibilities.

 

[Kat]

A player's fitness will determine who starts. Paige, Ash, KK are in. For everyone else, it's going to be decided by how well they run the floor in practices.

 

[Geesworld]

Experience will be what sees the court immediately. With 4 surgical injuries recovering the Freshman could earn some minutes in the rotation. Real Dilemma for coach will be Caroline & Azzi. Will coach have the patience or will he go with sophomores, Who helped get him to a final four.

Everyone Healthy lineup
1. KK gotta have two ball handlers
(Paige, Azzi)
2. Azzi shooter for Paige
(Paige, Ash, Caroline)
3. Paige
(Caroline, Aubrey, Ash, Q, Sarah)
4. Ice
(Aubrey, Ayanna, Caroline, Sarah)
5. Jana
(Ayanna, Ice, Sarah, Amari)
Morgan and Allie limited minutes.

Recovery lineup start of season
1. KK
(Paige)
2. Paige
(Azzi, Q, Allie,)
3. Ashlyn
(Q, Morgan, Allie)
4. Sarah
(Morgan)
5. Ice
(Jana, Ayanna, Sarah, Amari)

Morgan Allie will see minutes early but lose way to the upperclassmen

Big lineup
1. Paige
(KK)
2. Azzi
(Caroline, Ash, Q)
3. Sarah
(Caroline, Aubrey, Ash, Morgan)
4. Ice
(Ayanna, Aubrey, Amari)
5. Jana
(Ayanna, Amari)

 

[oldhusky]

No one is mentioning that the lineups will be different depending on the style of play. With 10+ healthy starters of this talent level, UConn could have a group for half court and a group for press/transition.

Flexibility, strategic substitutions, and even maximizing substitutions from a rest standpoint, was not possible this season because of injuries and a short rotation. Many of the tools a coach normally has were missing this year. Geno many times said something along the line of this is what we have, and this is who we are.

We didn't have a big team, a defensive eraser at the rim, and had to apply tremendous pressure on the perimeter while staying out of foul trouble. We didn't have many plan B's, and our substitutions had to be more managing minutes for rest than strategic. It's hard with 7, but with 6 you have to take out some players before they are tired, and others too late when they are gassed because you frequently have to substitute one player at a time. The second sub doesn't happen until the first out is ready to go back in etc. That is a tremendous handicap.

The ability to run and press all game if you want to, is an option we thought we would have for several years, but injuries took that away. Even just the expectation that all players can go all out every minute they are on the court is a major plus. Then the ability to craft a unit that stresses whatever traits are most needed at the time.

All of those things are good, but what you potentially lose is the continuity of units that are very familiar with each other, and maybe some team chemistry. Having versatile players that can play more than one position, and are both good and willing passers, should make a big rotation work for us. Even our incoming players are good at that, with Morgan and Sarah being very versatile and very good passers too, and Allie being a willing one.

Geno has had his hands tied behind his back for several years. With a little luck he will have tremendous options this next season with 10 or 11 players getting regular rotation minutes, all able to go 100% while they are out there, pressing when needed, and not being paranoid about every player who gets in foul trouble. A refreshing change from the last few seasons!

 

[visitingcock]

With all Azzi’s knee problems I suspect that her lateral mobility is going to be a major problem for her. Her defense could be problematic. I hope I’m wrong.

I would say that we have seen that already. I have considered her a half step slow and laterally slow her entire career.

The real question given Geno’s historic pattern, who will be the 8 or 9 who get significant PT?

 

[Rb335]

This will depend greatly on the health of the players.
KK, Azzi, Paige, Sarah, Jana.

First off the bench is shade for Azzi, help keep her fresh and hopefully healthy for a full season. Next, Ice for Sarah. Ice showed signs of life in the postseason and a huge leap from her is my X factor.

If Ducharme is healthy and back, she’ll get some minutes at the 3, but I’d expect her to be playing a true role player role. Same with Ayanna backing up the posts.

The big question marks are Cheli, Ziebell, and Q. If Qs defense doesn’t get better she could be lost in the shuffle. Cheli looks like a Swiss Army knife and could carve out space. Ziebell has elite shooting, but think there’s a possibility she struggles defensively like Q this year.

Not expecting anything to change for Deberry and Bettencourt.

Last but not least, Aubrey. Don’t expect her to play until January or February. She’ll be an energizer off the bench, as she has been most of her career.

 

[Bone Dog]

I know we’re all speculating (me more than most ) and we all know how hard it is for freshmen (and freshmen equivalents) to make the transition to D1 level play. It’s a mental thing, learning to see and think in a much faster game environment, and a physical thing, developing a new level of stamina for many players.

Ash had a head start because her dad was a trainer and she was in tremendous shape when she arrived. She also had a gym rat’s mentality, always seeking perfection. KK took a little longer to find her balance and necessity gave her enough time to do it. Ice and Q took longer, and may have just begun to turn an important corner toward the end of the season.

So what might we expect to see from the new kids?

• Sarah: she showed Paige-like passing skills in HS which suggests a lot of court-savvy. She may not be ready to start in November, but I expect she’ll crack the starting lineup sometime in January.
• Morgan: her HS experience also suggests great court-savvy. She was the pg for the #1 school in the country. She was known for transition and half court passing. She also played the “tip of the spear” in the full-court press they typically ran for entire games. She’ll bring considerable stamina to the team.
• Allie: a coach’s kid, she’s got court-savvy. A gym rat, she’s got Ash’s drive for perfection. In the words of her hs coach, he challenged his kids to take 1,000 shots each day in the summers, and Allie took 10,000 shots everyday.
• Jana: she’s the great mystery for most of us, though Geno constantly praises her based on practices over the past year and a half. She’s also a coach’s kid which suggests some court-savvy. There are hints of how she might play available online from the FIBA summer games and also (if you’re really persistent) from her hs in Cairo. The level of competition in hs was low and she was the best ball handler on her team. This meant she didn’t often get post entry passes as her teammates weren’t skilled enough for that. Instead she typically had to drive down the lane or along the baseline. She also had to develop a Dorka-level perimeter game. In those accursed FIBA games all her skills were on display against a higher level of competition. In particular, given the weakness of the Egyptian guards, the opposing bigs on the European teams usually just sagged on her in the lane. What I found most encouraging in this was how well she fought through double and triple teams to score and rebound. She is fierce and has immense courage. Just picture how she’ll play with the likes of Paige and KK and Sarah passing her the ball!

Of course, knowing Geno as we do, the key for any of them getting minutes is how quickly they learn the defensive schemes. I expect Sarah and Morgan will lead the way in this given what they showed in hs.

 

[ERWUC65]

I don't think we'll see Paige as the primary PG again.... That is not her destiny in the WNBA, similar to a DT type career.

Agreed, back to the 2 (sg) and more of the elite shooter (scoring) she can be without the added responsibility of lengthy ball handling. I think KK, now with a full year and lots of playing time behind her, can be the 1 (pg). Perhaps one of the new recruits (Allie or Morgan) could become the backup there. A lot will depend on the type of play Geno will utilize in the upcoming year. It could be more of a half court game if Jana and others can provide a classic post presence.

 

[Bobcat73]

KK point guard
Azzi off guard
Paige off guard/small forward
Caroline or Aubrey, depending on health of both
Ice or Jana, depending upon how good Jana is

By tournament time, Sarah will replace Caroline or Aubrey in starting lineup.

 

[FairView]

If we were Notre Dame with this embarrassment of riches, the NCAA would make an exception and let us start 12 - one for each Apostle.

 

[Centerstream]

I'm pretty sure Paige will start... other than that, it's all speculation.... one of the Boneyard's favorite things...

So true. Here we are, not 48 hours removed from our crushing season ending loss and barely 24 hours from Sarah's announcement, and we are already up to 4 or 5 "2024-25 Starting Lineup" threads or thread swerves.
Gotta love the off season. Unfortunately with each passing season, each season seems shorter (figuratively) and each off season longer (again, figuratively).