Our biggest loss

[wire chief]

Time for a preseason expiation of feelings.

 

[JordyG]

For me it's a tie. Ms. Doty's loss of effective, for whatever reason, and EDD leaving before orientation. Both were at first a puzzlement, then for me, resignation to the reality of what is, is, and what ain't, ain't.

 

[Sonny44]

Nobody knows what Caroline went through or what she could have become. The knee cost her her career. At least Morgan got to finish with a fine senior season.

 

[Wally East]

I voted for EDD but I chose that just barely above "Other" which would've been "Sue Bird injures knee 8 games into freshman season." I truly believe that was a team headed for a much greater season than an ignominious loss to Iowa State in the Sweet 16 where they only scored 58 points. Before Sue went down, they just outscored teams. They hung 113 on UCLA ( ... and gave up 102 ). After Sue went down, the chemistry was just destroyed and no one else could handle the PG role.

With Tennessee being upset before the Final Four, that was potentially a team that could've won it all.

 

[pacific 44]

We've won half of the last 20+ncaa championships and we have a thread about what saddens us the most.Can you imagine what the fans of other schools think when only a few of their schools have even won once during that time period.lol
I did vote for the Edd departure because she would have been so much fun to watch during her career.

 

[watanabe]

Dude!
We have zero bad losses. Everyone steps up. Team. Team. Team.
All our losses have worked out just fine.
Some sad events, sure, but no bad losses.

 

[bags27]

the injuries to Abrosimova and Ralph in 2001. EDD (my second choice for regret, because of how magnificent it would have been to follow her development over 4 years) had to do what she had to do, but the injuries weren't "rational" and significantly weakened one of the very best, perhaps the best, team of all time. And it gave ND its only NC. But it did teach Geno not to predict stuff when there were things outside his control.

 

[husky24]

I voted for Brit Hunter because she was an AA whose career was cut short by GG. She could have been amazing, Iwould also include 2001 when 2 AA were injured late(Sveta&Shea).

 

[triaddukefan]

I voted for Brit Hunter because she was an AA whose career was cut short by GG. She could have been amazing, Iwould also include 2001 when 2 AA were injured late(Sveta&Shea).

 

[Kaizen]

I choice UConn lost to Stamford in 2014.
Otherwise we will have 48 + 78 = 126 straight wins

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Nicole Wolff. NICOLE WOLFF-On The Court
1. Stunningly beautiful.
2. Tremendous athlete.
3. Injury.
4. Never the same or anything vaguely reminiscent of what was or what might have been. An enigma wrapped in a conundrum.

 

[cbraarj]

Doty would have been an AA and Maya would have a 3rd NC. Hunter was tough with a bad knee. I wish she played 4 yrs at Uconn! IMO they win in 2012 with a no injury Brittney. Shea and Svet deserved better and ND would still be looking for a NC. EDD made the right choice fo her but it would be 8 NCs in a row. But these are part of sports and why they play the games.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Doty would have been an AA and Maya would have a 3rd NC. Hunter was tough with a bad knee. I wish she played 4 yrs at Uconn! IMO they win in 2012 with a no injury Brittney. Shea and Svet deserved better and ND would still be looking for a NC. EDD made the right choice fo her but it would be 8 NCs in a row. But these are part of sports and why they play the games.

Brittany showed us moves when she came in for her limited time ... really don't know how to describe it. Geno would call it Wow Moments I suspect. Felt so bad for her.

 

[CPD016]

I am going to be selfish here and say if I could change one thing it would not be any of the injuries that fate cruelly dealt to our players but EDD leaving. I think Geno said if she had stayed they would have won 150 games in a row. That is 4 years of never tasting defeat. Now all we have is the 3 amigos record 0f 151 and 5. Life is just not fair.

 

[bballnut90]

Surprised no one has mentioned Ralph's ACL. In 97, UCONN was undefeated and lost Ralph in the Sweet 16. They went on to lose to Tennessee, who played a very good game, but it was a game where having Shea could've made the difference. Had the made it to the semis, I expect they would have steamrolled Notre Dame, and then they'd be in for a battle against a very good Old Dominion squad. In 1998, I don't anticipate them beating Tennessee with Ralph, but adding Ralph into the lineup could have propelled UCONN into the Final Four past NC State.

Otherwise, for me it's EDD. UCONN didn't exactly suffer without her, but with her, they could've had the most stacked team ever with Charles/Moore/EDD for two years. 2011 with Moore and EDD, UCONN likely goes undefeated. 2012, it would've been a barn burner against Baylor with Griner and Co, but they also would have had to face a very good Notre Dame team that I think could have competed with Connecticut. The flip side of this is that if EDD played 4 years at UCONN, I don't think 2012-13 UCONN wins the title. One of the great assets about the 2013 squad is that they returned everybody for 2012 besides Hayes, who really struggled finishing out her career. Players like Faris, KML, and Dolson all took on significant roles in 2012 that allowed them to blossom in 2013. With EDD in the lineup in 2012, they'd have roles similar to the ones they did in 2011 where it was 'Maya and her supporting cast', except now it'd be 'Elena and her supporting cast.'

The other potential negative about EDD is that if she decided to stick it out at UCONN, she may not have really fit in. She never has appeared to be immensely tough or competitive like most great UCONN players are. Maybe she could have learned to develop that killer instinct like Tina Charles/Breanna Stewart did, but throughout much of her career, basketball has seemed like a fun hobby she's enjoyed playing rather than something she lives and breathes 24/7. I think she'd have a hard time earning the respect of Geno and her teammates if she didn't have that toughness and fire in her. This isn't a knock on her, but if you look at her background from high school to college:
2007-took a full summer off of basketball
2008-left UCONN after a day or 2, joined the volleyball team at Delaware
2009-2013, played basketball at a mid major program
It just doesn't match up with how most UCONN players are.

 

[EricLA]

I chose Hunter - 2 reasons. First, she would have been here for several of the "down" years when Geno wasn't recruiting kids till their senior years 2002 thru 2005 or so. Second, had she come to UCONN, it's possible she never would have injured herself. Makes you wonder what kind of impact she could have had. Eith EDD, we already had Tina and Maya. Possibly we win 1 more NC. Maybe 2? Not sure. Either way it was close for me between Hunter and EDD. It's easy to forget Hunter had mad skills. Not sure if she was a Maya, Dee, Stewie kind of #1 recruit, but if not, certainly as "great" potentially as Tina...

 

[MSSportsGuy]

I just visit this board occasionally to check out the posts and news. I'm not a huge UConn fan but I would also agree with losing Shea and Svet in 2001 as the biggest lost/missed opporutnity. Yes they suffered a huge loss to ND and the game with the Lady Vols in Knoxville where Svet got injured is one of the most entertaining games I've ever watched, but that team was built for another title. Heck, if Taurasi hadn't suffered a career worst night in the semis against ND, I say they would have won even with the injuries. Unfortunately injuries happen but I do believe UConn wins in 2001 if those two seniors play, just like how I will always believe UT wins in 2005 if Parker, Spencer, Fuller, and SWG played in the FF.

It would be interesting to see where EDD would be had Geno coached her 4 years. She is tremendously talented and we saw glimpses during the Olympics of just how good she really is. I respect her decision as being the best thing for her at that time but UConn was scary good without her, and adding her to the mix would have just added another 10 to 20 points per victory during an already impressive streak.

 

[uconnfan68]

Other: Charde Houston's unremarkable career. Was really hoping for a superstar. Kid had a tough life.

 

[DaddyChoc]

For me it's a tie. Ms. Doty's loss of effective, for whatever reason, and EDD leaving before orientation. Both were at first a puzzlement, then for me, resignation to the reality of what is, is, and what ain't, ain't.

 

[DaddyChoc]

I chose Hunter - 2 reasons. First, she would have been here for several of the "down" years when Geno wasn't recruiting kids till their senior years 2002 thru 2005 or so. Second, had she come to UCONN, it's possible she never would have injured herself. Makes you wonder what kind of impact she could have had. Eith EDD, we already had Tina and Maya. Possibly we win 1 more NC. Maybe 2? Not sure. Either way it was close for me between Hunter and EDD. It's easy to forget Hunter had mad skills. Not sure if she was a Maya, Dee, Stewie kind of #1 recruit, but if not, certainly as "great" potentially as Tina...

I picked Hunter as well... we saw great glimpse of what she could have been. I was impressed.
Also she was one of UConn's Best Dressed as well
She's currently a teacher in NYC

 

[Wally East]

Surprised no one has mentioned Ralph's ACL. In 97, UCONN was undefeated and lost Ralph in the Sweet 16.

It was against Lehigh in the first round. That was the first time I'd seen someone, live and in person, tear their ACL. I had a press pass and was sitting about 20 or 30 feet from her when it happened. It was horrible.

My wife and I flew to Chicago and then drove to Iowa City for the regional on a spur of the moment, so, we saw the loss to Tennessee in person, too, which wasn't great. Then, we had Final Four tickets and we drove to Cincy, except our ' Saturn broke down in Lima, OH. Our tow truck driver thought we'd be really excited that local talent Semeka Randall was going to Tennessee (we weren't).

Yeah, I might change my answer.

 

[cbraarj]

Brittany showed us moves when she came in for her limited time ... really don't know how to describe it. Geno would call it Wow Moments I suspect. Felt so bad for her.

2008 with Hunter they win NC if she was healthy. I had wrong year.

 

[CTyankee]

I'm with Bags27...

The injuries to Abrosimova and Ralph in 2001 were devastating...

We coulda won, coach, we coulda won!!!

 

[reno tony]

Nothing. It is a bunch of young women playing basketball, getting a free education(from Geno and UCONN), traveling the country and world. How could I be sad? Sometimes I got bored, but never sad.

 

[bballnut90]

2008 with Hunter they win NC if she was healthy. I had wrong year.

She would've been gone by then since she graduated HS in 2003. Hunter was a very good player but never stuck out to me as a top tier #1 player. Skill wise, she was good in the post but she never had POY potential from the games I saw of her. If you look at her 2003 class in the pros, it's one of the weakest ever. The only players who have lasted or had decent careers are Little and Latta. Hunter was ranked #1, but I don't think she changes the tide in 2005 or 2006. In 2007, UCONN likely makes the Final Four but I don't see them beating the likes of North Carolina or Tennessee that year.

Also, who knows if Hunter cementing herself impacts Tina's decision to come to Connecticut? It probably doesn't, but something to consider.