Hartford Courant Article: With Big 3 Gone, What Are The UConn Women Left With Next Season?

[Carnac]

"Yeah, [next season] might be the biggest [transition] in the sense that when that other group left [Sue Bird, Swin Cash, Asjha Jones and Tamika Williams], we had Diana coming back, and I thought, 'Hey, we're starting out the season with the best player in the country,'" Auriemma said. "'How bad can that be?'

I've heard Geno narrate those first couple of practices the following year a bit differently: such as, "this team doesn't seem as bad as I thought it was going to be...." He's recounting it differently now to make things look especially gloomy for next fall, lowering expectations.

The confetti had not finished falling yet after the championship game, and some folks had already begun to cry whoa. What are we going to do now? To some, its like being a in dark room. An unfamiliar "dark room"
frightens some because it's an unknown. As a species, humans fear the dark, and the unknown. We always fear the worst. Its like if some one is 3-4 hours late coming home, and you haven't heard from them. Right away, you start thinking something bad has happened to them. All sorts of bad scenarios and what if's begin to run through your mind.

Same here. We don't know whats going to happen next season, so its very easy to fear the worst. To those of you that fall into this area, I say relax. Geno's got this. Like the Samali Pirate kept telling Captain Phillips throughout the movie: " Hey Irish, every thing's gonna be OK".

 

[Gus Mahler]

I'm really looking forward to next year. It will be fun to watch the new group grow and develop.

 

[easttexastrash]

Its like if some one is 3-4 hours late coming home, and you haven't heard from them. Right away, you start thinking something bad has happened to them. All sorts of bad scenarios and what if's begin to run through your mind.

Yet when I don't post for a few days NOBODY worries about my whereabouts.

 

[Carnac]

Yet when I don't post for a few days NOBODY worries about my whereabouts.

That's not true ET, when we don't hear from you for days at a time, we figure you're out on the recruiting trail for Kim (Mulkey) trying to help her find the next Brittany Griner , Odyssey Sims or Nina Davis.

 

[Sonny44]

I think we saw next year's starting core in this year's FF . Lou and Kia, Phee and Gabby. Phee and Gabby worked really terrific together. They have a second sense on the boards to be in the right place. I see Gabby continuing to extend her shot over the summer and maybe playing some guard next year. I see Geno going small ball - he's done it before - and we will see Nat splitting bench minutes at the 5 with Kyla. I think the early season will see Saniya and Crystal fighting for the fifth spot but realistically they will split the majority of minutes.

As per usual we will not see the finished "character" for this team until the middle of January '17.

J'vous garantis

Geno said Kia is always open and she did sink a bunch of threes. But next year she will be covered, a bigger challenge for her.

 

[easttexastrash]

That's not true ET, when we don't hear from you for days at a time, we figure you're out on the recruiting trail for Kim (Mulkey) trying to help her find the next Brittany Griner , Odyssey Sims or Nina Davis.

I found her but she went to UCONN and won four titles.

 

[HopJim]

That could work, but only if Lou assumes Stewie's roll of "rim protector". That would be a quick team. I can see them running continuous lay up drills against most teams. Crystal would be the facilitator, the rest of them would be the shooters. With the BIG 3 gone, now plays will be run for them. Somehow, I really don't think they'll disappoint. This just in......ALL 5 of those ladies can shoot!!!, just like this year's starting 5.

"Go small?" Doubt there will be much choice unless Butler makes major leap. In any case, should be interesting team to watch. Some may disagree but predict will energize Geno since this will be one of his best opportunities to truly coach in several years.

 

[Milfordfan]

UConn will probably start out next year ranked 7 or 8. It will lose a game or 2 (probably to Notre Dame, Baylor, Maryland or some such), but by the end of the season, they will probably be in the top 4, and a #1 seed. As we saw this year, the NCAA tournament for the Women is getting like the men's, in that a #1 seed does not equate to a pass to the Final Four. No one excels at getting a team ready for tournament time like Geno et al. If they get to the FF, they could win another NC. 15 years ago, they said "hey, we have the best player in the country how bad can it be". Now, we can say, "hey, UConn has the best coach in the history of the game, how bad can it be?"

 

[iamcbs]

Altavilla keeps comparing Molly Bent to Kelly Faris, I don't believe he's watched her play a lot. She's more of a Jaime Weisner-type player, she's a much better offensive player than Faris and she's bigger. Think Caroline Doty before the second ACL, BEnt won't defend like Faris but then not many players can or will. I believe Bent will surprise a lot of people.

 

[RunItUp!]

Nothin', I tell you, NOTHIN'!!!! We are DOOOOOOMED!

Stop with your negativism. Go tell it to your other like-minded "friends." We will be find and still create havoc and winning ways and Run-it-up on those teams who can not compete

 

[Geno-ista]

It will be a different world for each player. Stewart, Tuck and Jefferson required a lot of attention by the opposing defenders, which allowed the other players to kind of roam and pick off rebounds and get open looks at the basket. With that defensive energy no longer focused on the Big 3 the type of defense that is played against UCONN will be much different. And teams are going to try to attack the paint without Stewart floating in the lane to block shots. It will be very interesting to see how Geno counters. It will be a very intriguing season.

Absolute "hitting the nail on the head" post!!! Next year will be a lot of nail biting!

 

[MilfordHusky]

It will be a different world for each player. Stewart, Tuck and Jefferson required a lot of attention by the opposing defenders, which allowed the other players to kind of roam and pick off rebounds and get open looks at the basket. With that defensive energy no longer focused on the Big 3 the type of defense that is played against UCONN will be much different. And teams are going to try to attack the paint without Stewart floating in the lane to block shots. It will be very interesting to see how Geno counters. It will be a very intriguing season.

I agree that Stewie and Moriah made things easier for the other players on the floor. But Kaleena made things easier for others because of her deadly 3-pointer, and Kiah made things easier on the defensive end as well. So, I think the players will step up. I also think there has been a tendency to defer to the upperclassmen/star players. Next year's team will be forced to do things on their own. It will be a work in progress and likely show some rough spots, especially early on. It will be different and may be a lot of fun watching the team grow.

 

[UcMiami]

I agree that Stewie and Moriah made things easier for the other players on the floor. But Kaleena made things easier for others because of her deadly 3-pointer, and Kiah made things easier on the defensive end as well. So, I think the players will step up. I also think there has been a tendency to defer to the upperclassmen/star players. Next year's team will be forced to do things on their own. It will be a work in progress and likely show some rough spots, especially early on. It will be different and may be a lot of fun watching the team grow.

The difference is that the 'core' of the team has left the building, something that hasn't happened for a very long time. Even when Dolson and Hartley left, the team was still returning three starters and they were 2 juniors and a senior. This time you have three starters leaving and the returning starters are a junior and a sophomore. That is a significant difference and means there is a much larger transition coming for all the returning players than has been the case since 2002-2003.

 

[bags27]

The difference is that the 'core' of the team has left the building, something that hasn't happened for a very long time. Even when Dolson and Hartley left, the team was still returning three starters and they were 2 juniors and a senior. This time you have three starters leaving and the returning starters are a junior and a sophomore. That is a significant difference and means there is a much larger transition coming for all the returning players than has been the case since 2002-2003.

I clicked "like" because I think it was a good post and I agree with you. So, while it's true, I don't like it!

 

[meyers7]

Same here. We don't know whats going to happen next season, so its very easy to fear the worst. To those of you that fall into this area, I say relax. Geno's got this. Like the Samali Pirate kept telling Captain Phillips throughout the movie: " Hey Irish, every thing's gonna be OK".

It wasn't though, was it?

 

[UconnWBB]

I, for one, am looking forward to next year for several reasons. Eager to see the young'uns get their turn to shine; eager to see Geno recharged by a challenge (some challenge - other coaches would give anything to have this roster); and finally, looking forward to the growing pains suffered through by competitive games (and the accomplishment of that growth).

 

[victor64]

As you know, the past team won games by an average of 40, all double figure wins, typically over by half. Their biggest opponent was complacency.

It won't take long for Geno to remind us how good a bench coach he is. I believe him when he says he is looking forward to it. Heaven forbid, they may not even be favored in some games.

As far as the personnel, Butler and Chong are the key.

 

[veryolddog]

With the "Big 3" moving on, it is only natural, that those who were subservient to them and inspired by them will now gravitate to the team building and leadership roles that the "Big 3" have vacated. Intuitively, I have a hunch that Kia Nurse will begin to assume some of those duties as well as KLS and Collier. And, don't be surprised if young Ms Dangerfield emerges as a floor general by February.

Sometimes the folks emerge from the shadows when the senior leaders move on and begin to take on a whole new personality when they now have to take ownership for their results.