Proof Positive: SIZE DOES NOT MATTER...

[Huskies Rule]

From Boneyard threads to ESPN W. articles to the endless O'Brien/Burke babbling, the seemingly compulsive fascination with height and size- the bigger the better- has gone from entertaining to ridiculous to just plain wrong. This year's National Champions may finally put that myth to rest. I just finished reading two more articles which discussed height/size as absolutely indispensable elements to winning in WCBB- but, hmm, I don't remember seeing the sequoias of Duke or South Carolina in the 2015 National Championship game.

It isn't about the size of the Husky in the fight, but rather the size of the fight in the Husky.
And this year's Champions demonstrated beautifully how size really doesn't matter (apologies to Stewie).

Exhibits 1,2,3 and 4:
- KALEENA- Listed at a generous 5'11" critics relentlessly belittled her as being too short, too slow, too out-of-shape, but that didn't stop her from becoming THE GREATEST 3-point shooter in the history of WCBB. And an excellent passer and rebounder, too. And hitting the biggest buckets in the biggest game.
- MORIAH- Listed at 5'7" (I stood next to her in Tampa and that's a stretch), considered short, almost tiny, very thin and lacking strength, this kid proved herself as perhaps the toughest, most relentless two-way player in all of WCBB. And unquestionably the best point guard in America.
- MORGAN- She's likely closer to 6'1" and who knew she could not only compete with but dominate all the much bigger players she went up against every game with her tremendous quickness and desire. Underappreciated almost everywhere (outside of Storrs) for the All-American that she is.
- GABBY- As a 5'11" freshman guard-convert who hadn't played ball in almost 2 years, asked to be an effective frontcourt player and learn a totally new position, the undersized pogo-stick shut up the skeptics with her fearless inside game and impressive 8 ppg and 6 rebounds pg. With a mid-range game- look out!

I get a kick out of those who think you can meaningfully assess a team's chances of success with a tape measure or Detecto scale. With this bunch, an echocardiogram would tell you all you needed to know.

 

[winlots]

HR: Well, I have to start off by saying that I am hugely disappointed in your conclusion. (And I hope there was no need for me to put the key word in that sentence in quotation marks, as I see you folks as being suave beyond measure and always up for humor.)

However, you do make a very powerful case for that conclusion in the realm in which it was rendered. Very well done.

 

[BigBird]

"You can't coach height."

But I've seen a flock of games with tall players who apparently couldn't be (or weren't) coached either. Huskies play like mad because they are competitive kids, and because it's what they are taught and required to do.

 

[BroadwayVa]

From Boneyard threads to ESPN W. articles to the endless O'Brien/Burke babbling, the seemingly compulsive fascination with height and size- the bigger the better- has gone from entertaining to ridiculous to just plain wrong. This year's National Champions may finally put that myth to rest. I just finished reading two more articles which discussed height/size as absolutely indispensable elements to winning in WCBB- but, hmm, I don't remember seeing the sequoias of Duke or South Carolina in the 2015 National Championship game.

It isn't about the size of the Husky in the fight, but rather the size of the fight in the Husky.
And this year's Champions demonstrated beautifully how size really doesn't matter (apologies to Stewie).

Exhibits 1,2,3 and 4:
- KALEENA- Listed at a generous 5'11" critics relentlessly belittled her as being too short, too slow, too out-of-shape, but that didn't stop her from becoming THE GREATEST 3-point shooter in the history of WCBB. And an excellent passer and rebounder, too. And hitting the biggest buckets in the biggest game.
- MORIAH- Listed at 5'7" (I stood next to her in Tampa and that's a stretch), considered short, almost tiny, very thin and lacking strength, this kid proved herself as perhaps the toughest, most relentless two-way player in all of WCBB. And unquestionably the best point guard in America.
- MORGAN- She's likely closer to 6'1" and who knew she could not only compete with but dominate all the much bigger players she went up against every game with her tremendous quickness and desire. Underappreciated almost everywhere (outside of Storrs) for the All-American that she is.
- GABBY- As a 5'11" freshman guard-convert who hadn't played ball in almost 2 years, asked to be an effective frontcourt player and learn a totally new position, the undersized pogo-stick shut up the skeptics with her fearless inside game and impressive 8 ppg and 6 rebounds pg. With a mid-range game- look out!


I get a kick out of those who think you can meaningfully assess a team's chances of success with a tape measure or Detecto scale. With this bunch, an echocardiogram would tell you all you needed to know.

You left out of the mix/conclusion the two Uconn WBB Huskies that disables your argument---Stokes and Stewart. I doubt the ultimate outcome of this year had those two not been significant members of the team.
To validate your argument that many of the games won this year didn't require their services. But can you really say Uconn would have beaten (not wholloped) USC, ND, TX, USF, maybe MD and Dayton too?
I absolutely agree with the Heart in the Husky as the X factor but so is conditioning, practice, the Y factors.
Many teams Uconn played except the above, largest player was 6/1 or 2. Dayton while not huge had a 6/4 sharp shooter. No doubt Moriah, Morgan and Nurse held their own and then some but --without stoppers Stewart and Stokes what then???
I love the future for Uconn with Gabby, Moriah, Tuck along with the Newbies, Saniya and Butler.\

 

[Sonny44]

You left out of the mix/conclusion the two Uconn WBB Huskies that disables your argument---Stokes and Stewart. I doubt the ultimate outcome of this year had those two not been significant members of the team.
To validate your argument that many of the games won this year didn't require their services. But can you really say Uconn would have beaten (not wholloped) USC, ND, TX, USF, maybe MD and Dayton too?
I absolutely agree with the Heart in the Husky as the X factor but so is conditioning, practice, the Y factors.
Many teams Uconn played except the above, largest player was 6/1 or 2. Dayton while not huge had a 6/4 sharp shooter. No doubt Moriah, Morgan and Nurse held their own and then some but --without stoppers Stewart and Stokes what then???
I love the future for Uconn with Gabby, Moriah, Tuck along with the Newbies, Saniya and Butler.\

I don't think the OP meant that being small is an advantage in BB, but rather that smallness can be overcome with talent and heart.
I said in a former post that I'm amazed how seldom Mo's layups are blocked even among big defenders. She just outmaneuvers them with her quickness.

 

[Huskies Rule]

You left out of the mix/conclusion the two Uconn WBB Huskies that disables your argument---Stokes and Stewart. I doubt the ultimate outcome of this year had those two not been significant members of the team.
To validate your argument that many of the games won this year didn't require their services. But can you really say Uconn would have beaten (not wholloped) USC, ND, TX, USF, maybe MD and Dayton too?
I absolutely agree with the Heart in the Husky as the X factor but so is conditioning, practice, the Y factors.
Many teams Uconn played except the above, largest player was 6/1 or 2. Dayton while not huge had a 6/4 sharp shooter. No doubt Moriah, Morgan and Nurse held their own and then some but --without stoppers Stewart and Stokes what then???
I love the future for Uconn with Gabby, Moriah, Tuck along with the Newbies, Saniya and Butler.\

 

[meyers7]

Hmmm all male responses in this thread so far. Maybe some of the females on here should weigh in on whether size matters or not.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I don't think the OP meant that being small is an advantage in BB, but rather that smallness can be overcome with talent and heart.
I said in a former post that I'm amazed how seldom Mo's layups are blocked even among big defenders. She just outmaneuvers them with her quickness.

thanks for the explanation. Moriah, I love her play, is an exception in most everything she does, yet in the trees she's at a disadvantage.
I did however acknowledge Heart of a Husky is a big factor in Uconn winning.

 

[BroadwayVa]

And your point is beyond your ignorance?

 

[CocoHusky]

Hmmm all male responses in this thread so far. Maybe some of the females on here should weigh in on whether size matters or not.

Wait, we are still talking about basketball right?
Never heard a basketball player say I wish I was a few inches shorter.
Real players (basketball included) work with what they got!

 

[Orangutan]

Let's not forget that the team's best player, indeed the best player in the country by a distance, is a 6'4 power forward with a 7'1 wingspan. Nonetheless, I agree overall.

Tuck, especially, is a great example of someone who plays much bigger than their listed size. Sometimes that's overcome by sheer athleticism but for her to do what she's doing after a serious knee injury just speaks to how tremendously skilled she is.

Also, speaking of this topic: Nina Davis

The way I look at it is that size wins if the skill level is relatively even. Duke and SCar get a lot of mileage out of simply being bigger than relatively mediocre teams. But the smaller team with a higher skill level usually beats a bigger team with a lower skill level, which is why ND and UConn tend to win out in the end.

On rare occasions, like last year's Stewart/Dolson UConn, you find a team that has bigs with both exceptional size and exceptional skill. Those teams are nigh unbeatable.

 

[Bayareahusky]

Size does not matter true..... My Moriah, My MoJeff is perfect in every way Yes

 

[triaddukefan]

Let's not forget that the team's best player, indeed the best player in the country by a distance, is a 6'4 power forward with a 7'1 wingspan. Nonetheless, I agree overall.

Tuck, especially, is a great example of someone who plays much bigger than their listed size. Sometimes that's overcome by sheer athleticism but for her to do what she's doing after a serious knee injury just speaks to how tremendously skilled she is.

Also, speaking of this topic: Nina Davis

The way I look at it is that size wins if the skill level is relatively even. Duke and SCar get a lot of mileage out of simply being bigger than relatively mediocre teams. But the smaller team with a higher skill level usually beats a bigger team with a lower skill level, which is why ND and UConn tend to win out in the end.

On rare occasions, like last year's Stewart/Dolson UConn, you find a team that has bigs with both exceptional size and exceptional skill. Those teams are nigh unbeatable.

Why do you have to bring Duke in this discussion

 

[Orangutan]

Why do you have to bring Duke in this discussion

Sorry, Triad, force of habit.

 

[Sonny44]

Let's not forget that the team's best player, indeed the best player in the country by a distance, is a 6'4 power forward with a 7'1 wingspan. Nonetheless, I agree overall.

And the 2nd best is Mo, in mo opinion of course.

 

[Woof 101]

From Boneyard threads to ESPN W. articles to the endless O'Brien/Burke babbling, the seemingly compulsive fascination with height and size- the bigger the better- has gone from entertaining to ridiculous to just plain wrong. This year's National Champions may finally put that myth to rest. I just finished reading two more articles which discussed height/size as absolutely indispensable elements to winning in WCBB- but, hmm, I don't remember seeing the sequoias of Duke or South Carolina in the 2015 National Championship game.

It isn't about the size of the Husky in the fight, but rather the size of the fight in the Husky.
And this year's Champions demonstrated beautifully how size really doesn't matter (apologies to Stewie).

Exhibits 1,2,3 and 4:
- KALEENA- Listed at a generous 5'11" critics relentlessly belittled her as being too short, too slow, too out-of-shape, but that didn't stop her from becoming THE GREATEST 3-point shooter in the history of WCBB. And an excellent passer and rebounder, too. And hitting the biggest buckets in the biggest game.
- MORIAH- Listed at 5'7" (I stood next to her in Tampa and that's a stretch), considered short, almost tiny, very thin and lacking strength, this kid proved herself as perhaps the toughest, most relentless two-way player in all of WCBB. And unquestionably the best point guard in America.
- MORGAN- She's likely closer to 6'1" and who knew she could not only compete with but dominate all the much bigger players she went up against every game with her tremendous quickness and desire. Underappreciated almost everywhere (outside of Storrs) for the All-American that she is.
- GABBY- As a 5'11" freshman guard-convert who hadn't played ball in almost 2 years, asked to be an effective frontcourt player and learn a totally new position, the undersized pogo-stick shut up the skeptics with her fearless inside game and impressive 8 ppg and 6 rebounds pg. With a mid-range game- look out!

I get a kick out of those who think you can meaningfully assess a team's chances of success with a tape measure or Detecto scale. With this bunch, an echocardiogram would tell you all you needed to know.

You obviously know much more than Geno. Especially since, as Geno contends, you can't teach 6'8". This his assessment of B Griner. This and any basketball coach at any level will tell you. Speed will often beat size in many sports when you have enough of it as UCONN does at several positions. You fail to mention Stewie who gets down the floor quicker at 6' 4" than most guards. No spitting match Rule but there is a lot more that goes into it than you mention here. Every coach and team is looking for size but also the coordination and ball skills that go with a over all good player.
UCONN does what they do because they are coached the way they are. Elite players with different skills and put in position to take advantage of them, with the skill of passing the ball making up for lack of foot speed and being in the right position at all times for blocks and rebounds.
Again I am not out to argue here but when it comes to size you might have missed all that players like Lobo, Elliott and Dolson were able to do for this team because of their size. The right players put in the right position to maximize their skills, this with the right surrounding cast doing what it takes.