The new starting 5 will be...

[CBear01]

I'm still scratching my head on this one...

 

[Checkmate]

#2 I know I am in the minority, but I like the spark Gabby gives the team off the bench. I think it is more important who finishes the game.

 

[Tonyc]

UConn will need to start 2 good ball handlers in the starting lineup. Nurse Chong and CD will all see time. When CD gets enough experience at the college level and Geno feels he can trust her in the game she will start. I cant see CD facing Baylor as a starter and if she is overwhelmed and makes silly mistakes well that wont be good. She needs to get to a good start, develop confidence and mature at the college game.

 

[cbraarj]

Bria Hartley did her Freshman year and so did Dolson against Griners Baylor team.

 

[CocoHusky]

I'm still scratching my head on this one...

Just so we are holding everyone accountable prior predictions are in this Thread.

UCONN Starters for 2016-17 Season are.

 

[Wbbfan1]

I think the coaches would prefer to start Butler to get some size in the starting lineup, especially with games against Florida State and Baylor. I also believe they'll start Chong; a Senior; over Crystal to start the season and it will be up to Chong's play if she keeps the starting position. The other question is do you start Gabby over Pheese and I think you do to add rebounding.

 

[Kmoney]

I picked option 1. I think that will be the first game starting lineup, but there will be many changes before January.

 

[bags27]

I agree with Coco (the provided link). But honestly, it's not a question that admits of a certain answer, because it likely depends on the opponent. Geno will use the fall schedule to find things out (like he did in the 4 pre-Olympic games), mixing and matching combinations. As well, Geno has said that "starting is for high school", so Checkmate's point about Gabby coming off the bench (as Havlicek did for years with the Celtics) may well be right--at least for some games.

 

[HGN]

If she has improved her defense , I see Saniya somewhere in the starting mix. Saniya can handle and score the ball. Her problem has always been her knack of not playing consistent defense. If she can now play defense consistently at a high level I think she can and will start.........Scoring has never been a problem for her.

JMHO.

 

[CocoHusky]

I agree with Coco (the provided link). But honestly, it's not a question that admits of a certain answer, because it likely depends on the opponent. Geno will use the fall schedule to find things out (like he did in the 4 pre-Olympic games), mixing and matching combinations. As well, Geno has said that "starting is for high school", so Checkmate's point about Gabby coming off the bench (as Havlicek did for years with the Celtics) may well be right--at least for some games.

I disagree with you on two points. Geno is not one to change the starting lineup once set or unless it becomes absolutely necessary. The last time it became necessary was after the Stanford loss and what made it both necessary & possible was Morgan Tuck & Kia Nurse vs. Saniya & Kiah Stokes . Among the players competing for starting positions this year I just don't see a similar gap in talent that would "necessitate" a change in starters depending on the opponent. There will be plenty of minutes to develop the team for a March/April championship run.
I am predicting both Gabby and Napheesa start but this would be Gabby 3rd year playing that spark off the bench role. I think Gabby's scoring, perimeter defense, and leadership will be needed, so if Geno has to pick one I think it is Napheesa who comes off the bench.

 

[HGN]

#2 I know I am in the minority, but I like the spark Gabby gives the team off the bench. I think it is more important who finishes the game.

Checkmate , you have a very valid point in your thought of GABBY providing a spark off the bench. And Geno certainly may opt to bring her off the bench if no one else can be found to fill that role. I guess its a good problem to have , but Gabby is a valuable commodity regardless whether she starts or comes off the bench.

 

[Kaizen]

Nurse, Lou, Gabby, Pheese are locked.
The remaining seat will be between Chong, Butler and Cryatal.

 

[BostonCanuck]

Casted my vote for whom I think will be the starting five in the first non-exhibition game of the season, namely
Nurse, Lou, Gabby, Pheese, Butler. Structurally, I think Geno would prefer to start Chong in lieu of Pheese, but I think the odds are against it (i.e. Chong would have to be performing at a consistently high level in practice already).

 

[bags27]

I disagree with you on two points. Geno is not one to change the starting lineup once set or unless it becomes absolutely necessary. The last time it became necessary was after the Stanford loss and what made it both necessary & possible was Morgan Tuck & Kia Nurse vs. Saniya & Kiah Stokes . Among the players competing for starting positions this year I just don't see a similar gap in talent that would "necessitate" a change in starters depending on the opponent. There will be plenty of minutes to develop the team for a March/April championship run.
I am predicting both Gabby and Napheesa start but this would be Gabby 3rd year playing that spark off the bench role. I think Gabby's scoring, perimeter defense, and leadership will be needed, so if Geno has to pick one I think it is Napheesa who comes off the bench.

Coco--he changed the starting lineup at least twice last year, with both Gabby and Napheesa as the 5th starter before Lou took over. He tinkered at least a bit because, I think, he was trying to see what worked best on the perimeter vs how much room there was left inside for Stewie and Morgan to operate. (Not to mention that Lou stunk up the court on defense until she flipped the switch and became a defensive monster.)

 

[huskyd]

I've said before that I believe the starters will be Lou, Napheesa, Gabby, Kia, and Saniya. If there is a demonstrated correlation between Nat's over-all conditioning and her play, she'll see plenty of time. Under the best of circumstances, Butler will slow things down some, but if her hands improve she could be a valuable asset. Ultimately, I think Crystal will take over at the one (she's too dynamic to keep on the bench) and Gabby will come off the bench (she's too much of a spark--and too much of a fouler--to start). Another "if": If Kyla proves to have the speed, hops, and smarts to help under the basket, she'll be a starter at some point. Note that Irwin is an excellent shooter from anywhere. I agree with those who say Geno will spot in players as situations demand; that he has always done. By their play shall ye know them, and those who produce will get the court time.

 

[jcoton56]

I am pretty sure that no member of the BY thinks there will be one or even only two starting lineups this season. Shoud be a ton of fun though!

 

[jcoton56]

I am pretty sure that no member of the BY thinks there will be one or even only two starting lineups this season. Shoud be a ton of fun though!

 

[Carnac]

I'm still scratching my head on this one...

Me too. I voted for the first group (Nurse, Lou, Gabby, Pheese, Butler). That group makes as much sense as any other combination., especially when they play teams with tall post players, i.e, Baylor.

 

[Monte]

#2 I know I am in the minority, but I like the spark Gabby gives the team off the bench. I think it is more important who finishes the game.

I like the best players to both START and FINISH!

 

[EricLA]

Kaizen is right. 4 starters pretty much set in stone - Kia, Napheesa, KLS and Gabby.

In that lineup, undersized players will need to guard bigger post players. But there also is no pure PG.

Last year, before the start of the season, I believe Geno said Saniya was one of the most improved (or something like that). We all saw how that worked out. Did Saniya go to PG school over the summer? Has she worked on dribbling the ball lower and more in control while moving the offense at a more crisp and purposeful way? Did Natalie improve her fitness further and work on strengthening her hands (especially the one that was injured)? How fast has/will Crystal pick up the offense in order to run it the way UCONN guards run offense?

The answers to all those questions, IMHO, will determine who the 5th starter is. At this point I have no idea. I'm rooting for Saniya to be the starter because that would mean she's not only done the things necessary to improve her game, but also that Geno feels she is totally capable of running the team. But I could see where we need size, or a true PG. I do also agree with Tony - that at some point most likely Crystal will be in the starting lineup as we all know she's the future...

 

[CL82]

#1 with Crystal Dangerfield first off the bench. Geno loves the change of tempo substitution.

 

[wallman]

Well one thing is for sure, there will be someone else in the starting line up

 

[easttexastrash]

UConn will need to start 2 good ball handlers in the starting lineup. Nurse Chong and CD will all see time. When CD gets enough experience at the college level and Geno feels he can trust her in the game she will start. I cant see CD facing Baylor as a starter and if she is overwhelmed and makes silly mistakes well that wont be good. She needs to get to a good start, develop confidence and mature at the college game.

If my memory serves me correctly, Odyssey Sims started as a freshman when Baylor played at UCONN and she performed quite well. The starting PG for Baylor left the team abruptly when the season had barely started. CD could be like Sims and be so good that Geno can't keep her off the floor.

 

[JoePgh]

If my memory serves me correctly, Odyssey Sims started as a freshman when Baylor played at UCONN and she performed quite well. The starting PG for Baylor left the team abruptly when the season had barely started. CD could be like Sims and be so good that Geno can't keep her off the floor.

I remember that game very well. Odyssey did start and made three 3-point shots, 2 in quick succession, because Bria Hartley (also a freshman) was lackadaisical in guarding her. At least that was Geno's definite view. But late in the game, after Baylor had taken (as I recall) an 8-point lead with only a few minutes left, Kelly Faris grabbed an offensive rebound and fed Bria, whom Odyssey had left open. Bria made that 3-pointer which launched the comeback that was ultimately successful (by a single point).

I don't believe Bria started that game, but she played a ton of minutes and had a decisive role.

That was also the game where Geno observed that Stef Dolson (who, as a freshman, played about 8 minutes before fouling out trying quite unsuccessfully to guard Griner), had more offensive rebounds in those minutes (1) than Griner had in her 35 minutes or so. Which is somewhat to be expected since Griner played 12-15 feet from the basket for the entire game when Baylor was on offense. I never understood why Kim Mulkey thought that was a good idea.

 

[HGN]

Nurse, Lou, Gabby, Pheese are locked.
The remaining seat will be between Chong, Butler and Cryatal.

Kaizen , I am not so sure Pheese is a lock..... Nurse, Lou , and Gabby I can go along with....I think Butler and Saniya will fill the remaining spots. I look at Pheese as possibly taking over Gabby's old role as providing that scoring and defensive spark off the bench her sophomore year just as Gabby did her sophomore year....Crystal I see as that guard sub coming in to relieve Nurse or Chong for a few minutes here or there.