What are the odds KLS/Collier go undefeated while at Connecticut?

[Carnac]

Personally, I think it's just a wee bit too early to think about Lou and Napheesa running the table their entire career. This is a conversation/debate we can have at the end of next year, IF UConn is still working on their current winning streak. They've got 12 more regular season games left, 3 conference tournament games, and 6 NCAA tournament games left = 21 games remaining THIS season if they run the table. You add on approx 38 games their junior and senior years, that's: 21+38+38=97 games. That's one heck of a run. With the talent they'll have on their teams during this time, I won't say it's impossible. However, I would not bet on it. Florida State almost broke it (if their last shot had gone in, they win by 1), Standford broke the last one. We didn't see that one coming. You never know when a game like those two will pop up. UConn gets everyone's best, regardless of their won-loss record at the time.

They will be half way there if they run the table the rest of this year. They also will amass a 189 game win streak (92+97) in the process. If they do, since records are made to be broken, somebody will no doubt come along and break that record in due time.

Tip in: IMHO, I don't for a moment think that any other NON-UConn team could pull this off. Example: Who set the 90 game win streak? Who broke the 90 game win streak? I rest my case.

 

[Sonny44]

As crazy as it seems, I'll be stunned if they lose a game over the next 2.5 seasons. The future if women's basketball is looking awfully dim for all of us non UCONN fans. UCONN is coming off losing the top 3 picks in the WNBA draft and has been the standout number 1 team all year, and appears to be the heavy favorite to complete a 2nd consecutive undefeated season. The scary thing is, this year appears to be the best chance for a non-UCONN team to win it all for at least the next 3 seasons.

The only teams who I think have a fighting chance against Connecticut are Florida State, Baylor, and Maryland...and that's only because they put up good fights in the first go around and have talented rosters who can compete with UCONN. That said, I think it is pretty unlikely anybody knocks off UCONN this year.

Nobody appears to have rosters that can compete with UCONN in 2018 and 2019. I personally think it is pretty much a shoe-in that UCONN wins both titles undefeated again. This is all barring injuries/transfers, but realistically, no one is going to touch the Huskies if Geno is coaching both of those seasons. Look at how top heavy these squads are:
2017-18:
F/C-Stevens (Jr) (POY Candidate)
F-Collier (Jr) (POY Candidate)
F-Samuelson (Jr) (POY Candidate)
F-Williams (Sr) (POY Candidate)
G-Nurse (Sr) (AA Candidate)
G-Dangerfield (So) (Remember the jump Jefferson made in her sophomore year)
F-Walker (Fr) (#1 recruit)
F/C-Camara (So)

No one is going to touch this team. This team has 5 legitimate All-American candidates, plus Megan Walker off the bench. It's a crapshoot of who voters think is the teams best player or obvious POY candidate. It's basically this year's version with an extra year of experience, plus the top recruit in the country and a NPOY candidate transfer. This could potentially be the best team Geno has ever produced.

2018-19:
F/C-Stevens (Sr) (POY Candidate)
F-Collier (Sr) (POY Candidate)
F-Samuelson (Sr) (POY Candidate)
G-Coombs (So)
C-C. Collier (Fr)
G-Dangerfield (Jr)
F-Walker (So) (Likely will be an AA Candidate)
F/C-Camara (Jr)

No one is going to touch this team either. KLS/Collier/Stevens are going to be seniors. Megan Walker will be a starter as a sophomore. Baylor, Louisville, Notre Dame and Texas look like the best of the rest talent wise, but none appear to have talent remotely comparable to Connecticut's.


So, what are the odds you think they'll have undefeated careers?

Whatever they are now, they are steadily improving.

 

[reno tony]

I put maya in a separate category as she is not only the greatest to play at uconn but imo the greatest wbb player of all time. As far as stewie i put her ahead of DT. How many times has DT had over a 100 blocks? In no way was stewie the best shot blocker or rebounder to play for uconn, that would be stokes.
According to geno stewie was not a good defender her first 2 yrs so who would know better then him? He says that about all his players throughout their career at uconn.

Geno also told Lobo she was the worst post player in the country..... until Wolters arrived. Then she became the second worst post player in the country. As great a coach as he is, sometimes he shovels it out pretty deep for his own reasons, to which we are not privy.

 

[BroadwayVa]

No way. Not even close. There is a reason why Stewie had over 100 blocks her soph year. It wasn't because she was defending out on the wing like Lou is doing. I think you need to go back and check out that March 2014 highlight when Stewart rand down that Rutgers player.

Players --play within their physical attributes--Stewie had extra long arms, was thinner and more mobile and flexible than KLS==for her frame and added weight KLS is doing just (actually beyond) fine.

 

[BroadwayVa]

No disrespect to KLS, but she won't be greater than DT or Maya.

Are you de-selecting Stewie from among the greatest or just assuming she is the greatest without need to state it. No disrespect to Maya or DT (who said Stewie is the greatest)

 

[Geew1992]

Are you de-selecting Stewie from among the greatest or just assuming she is the greatest without need to state it. No disrespect to Maya or DT (who said Stewie is the greatest)

No, I am not. The OP just stated Stewie so I was adding Maya and DT as well

 

[hoophuskee]

Players --play within their physical attributes--Stewie had extra long arms, was thinner and more mobile and flexible than KLS==for her frame and added weight KLS is doing just (actually beyond) fine.

You're right. But note I was responding to this from another poster:

"As i recall stewies defense and inside game was the same as kls as a sophomore."

Stewie was guarding in the paint a lot in her soph year. The only time she mostly would have been defending the wing is when UCONN had Stokes and Stef in, or at times early when they had Tuck in (even then I'd think it possible Stewie was in the paint), or on switches. Stokes didn't play that many minutes and some of those minutes she'd sub for Stef which meant Stewie was still a "pf"

 

[BroadwayVa]

You're right. But note I was responding to this from another poster:

"As i recall stewies defense and inside game was the same as kls as a sophomore."

Stewie was guarding in the paint a lot in her soph year. The only time she mostly would have been defending the wing is when UCONN had Stokes and Stef in, or at times early when they had Tuck in (even then I'd think it possible Stewie was in the paint), or on switches. Stokes didn't play that many minutes and some of those minutes she'd sub for Stef which meant Stewie was still a "pf"

Not much to disagree with here..

While I don't have the ability to pull from memory Stewie as anything except a Frosh (bad section of the year) and the next 3 years--It probably is fair to think Stewie and KLS were nearly equal as Sophs---not bad company.
KLS ---is not on the floor doing her own thing--she does her own thing as Geno directs her thing to be.
So any negative comparisons that come because KLS is "out on perimeter" is unfair and as we have been seeing more and more --when necessary KLS is going inside and rebounding and attacking.
Putting a position label on Uconn players is a bit misleading--KLS, is guard, Forward, rebounding Center as required. Stewie was even more difficult to pin down--I suspect that Chong and Butler are the easiest to define.
But that is probably only MY view.

 

[BroadwayVa]

No, I am not. The OP just stated Stewie so I was adding Maya and DT as well

I was kidding ===because, as I stated---you assumed Stewies as included. I don't hold one Uconn great above another Uconn great--maybe with the exception of Sue bird--I fell in love with Uconn WBB watching Sue
a girly girl, by all appearance, was tough as nails and --a better to great Basketball player (not defined as men or women).

 

[BroadwayVa]

I don't think so. Stewart's greatness derives from her ability to show up in big games and her really unique skill set as a 6-4 dominant inside out player. KLS doesn't have the length or defensive prowess that Stewart does, nor the developed inside game that Stewart had. In Stewart's senior year, she was almost like a Griner 2.0 defensively and a Parker 2.0 offensively but with more range. She was ridiculous. KLS will never have that skill set.

KLS is great and will probably go down as one of the best to put on a Huskie jersey, but in greatness, she's more like a better version of KML than Stewart IMO.

Both players are "hampered" by being surrounded by great players relative to Moore and DT. I'm also not so sure that Collier doesn't have an equivalent claim to KLS in terms of greatness.

KLS isn't leading the troops ala DT or Maya, but she's one of a few great players on her team that play well together. She doesn't emerge as the obvious crown centerpiece of her team like Moore/Stewart did while at Connecticut. For that, I don't think she'll be on par with Moore/Stewart/DT, but both her and Collier could be in a class of their own just below those 3 when they graduate from Storrs. If they keep their numbers up and keep winning.

Before you can anoint the title Greatness --you must first define it--in terms of WBB--I can't. I can easily say the best I have seen are---
But from all I have seen in the past 30 years of WBB at UConn--Stewie (to me and ONLY me) is in a class by herself. In terms of toughness and carrying a team on her back--IMO DT is the ultimate.
Maya was very good. Not as tough mentally or physically (in only MY opinion) as DT. In terms of doing it all : defensive, offensive, and athletic -- it's is Stewie.
So having stated these 2--(there were many super excellent players beyond these 2) KLS , IMO,
fits snugly between those two and shall on the day she graduates.
Collier and Gabby should also be spoken of in terms of top level players--maybe great--we shall see.

 

[Buzzyboy]

I don't think so. Stewart's greatness derives from her ability to show up in big games and her really unique skill set as a 6-4 dominant inside out player. KLS doesn't have the length or defensive prowess that Stewart does, nor the developed inside game that Stewart had. In Stewart's senior year, she was almost like a Griner 2.0 defensively and a Parker 2.0 offensively but with more range. She was ridiculous. KLS will never have that skill set.

KLS is great and will probably go down as one of the best to put on a Huskie jersey, but in greatness, she's more like a better version of KML than Stewart IMO.

Both players are "hampered" by being surrounded by great players relative to Moore and DT. I'm also not so sure that Collier doesn't have an equivalent claim to KLS in terms of greatness.

KLS isn't leading the troops ala DT or Maya, but she's one of a few great players on her team that play well together. She doesn't emerge as the obvious crown centerpiece of her team like Moore/Stewart did while at Connecticut. For that, I don't think she'll be on par with Moore/Stewart/DT, but both her and Collier could be in a class of their own just below those 3 when they graduate from Storrs. If they keep their numbers up and keep winning.

DNA is do not agree! She's appreciably more than KML both offensively and defensively. Do you remember Breanna Stewart midway through her sophomore year???? I think you might want to rethink yourself.

 

[Buzzyboy]

I put maya in a separate category as she is not only the greatest to play at uconn but imo the greatest wbb player of all time. As far as stewie i put her ahead of DT. How many times has DT had over a 100 blocks? In no way was stewie the best shot blocker or rebounder to play for uconn, that would be stokes.
According to geno stewie was not a good defender her first 2 yrs so who would know better then him? He says that about all his players throughout their career at uconn.

I would take Maya today, tomorrow and on and on over Stewie for her well rounded game. She did everything from the moment she stepped on the court in Storrs and Stewie was dormant most of her freshman year and solely an offensive threat in her sophomore and part of her junior year where she really started rebounding and defending at a high level. Maya is the best of all time at UConn, at this point.

 

[hoophuskee]

I would take Maya today, tomorrow and on and on over Stewie for her well rounded game. She did everything from the moment she stepped on the court in Storrs and Stewie was dormant most of her freshman year and solely an offensive threat in her sophomore and part of her junior year where she really started rebounding and defending at a high level. Maya is the best of all time at UConn, at this point.

I go with Stewart as GOAT because I think she was a beast defensively her soph year through her senior year. I thought defensively she impacted the game more than Maya ever could. Maya was much more the efficient scorer over 4 years.