What we learned from UConn women’s basketball’s European tour

[Carnac]

The Huskies went 4-0 in their exhibition games and had a chance to bond and build chemistry as a team on the trip. ​

The UConn women’s basketball team is back in Storrs and have begun the fall semester after returning from its 10-day European tour. The Huskies went 4-0 in their exhibition games and had a chance to bond and build chemistry as a team on the trip. Some highlights included visiting Nika Mühl’s hometown of Zagreb, Croatia, going ziplining and exploring a castle in Bled, Slovenia, participating in a track simulator and pit crew challenge at the Ferrari museum in Maranello, Italy and then wrapping things up with a Gondola tour through the canals of Venice, Italy.

As head coach Geno Auriemma said before his team left, these trips always help him learn something. So though the games weren’t competitive until the fourth and final one against Pecs and both Paige Bueckers and Ayanna Patterson didn’t play, there’s still some insight to be gained about what the Huskies will look like this season. Here are the top takeaways from UConn’s foreign tour.

What we learned from UConn women’s basketball’s European tour

Here’s what we learned about the 2023-24 UConn Huskies from their games overseas. Freshmen impress, health updates, press defense and more.

www.courant.com

 

[Charliebball]

I think we learned that the freshman may deserve more playing time than first thought and that the UConn front court could really use Ayanna Patterson and Amari Deberry to handle some of the additional rebounding load with the graduation of Dorka and the absences of Jana El Alfay and possibly Caroline Ducharme.......I'm expecting a marked improvement from Patterson and Deberry once they are 100% healthy.......

 

[jdote33]

Pretty much this article. I think the forum has had some pretty spot on analysis as well. My five takeaways are:
1. KK Arnold will be ready to contribute the first game of the season and most likely will see meaningful minutes.
2. Azzi and Aubrey both ended the season unhealthy, but now look to both be 100 percent. Both moved well and brought a lot of energy.
3. Q and AS looked like they had been at UConn for sometime. They were unafraid to be aggressive and played
4. Ice is working her way back but will be needed this season. The team generally lacks size and depth up front.
5. Health of Caroline Ducharme and Paige Bueckers still looms a bit over this team. I thought CD looked well in the minutes she played but her being knocked out of two games is concerning. Paige didn't play of course.

 

[DEpup]

For me, I learned that a NC is there for the taking if they can remain standing....We can talk strategy on this board until the cows come home but with all this talent, it is only their health that could stand in their way.

 

[JellyBean]

I learned that Coach G is going to have to ease up on this idea of only playing certain players for X number of minutes and not playing other players because of whatever reason.

 

[MSGRET]

I learned that Coach G is going to have to ease up on this idea of only playing certain players for X number of minutes and not playing other players because of whatever reason.

I think that you may see that happen this year, the last time I remember UConn rotating players more often was when Tonya was on the staff. He would bring in the bench players to intermingle with some of the starters even in the first quarter. I think that for some reason she was one of those type of coaches that could get in Geno's ear on subbing players to keep them fresh.

 

[Carnac]

I think we learned that the freshman may deserve more playing time than first thought and that the UConn front court could really use Ayanna Patterson and Amari Deberry to handle some of the additional rebounding load with the graduation of Dorka and the absences of Jana El Alfay and possibly Caroline Ducharme.......I'm expecting a marked improvement from Patterson and Deberry once they are 100% healthy.......

Ditto!!!

 

[Carnac]

I learned that Coach G is going to have to ease up on this idea of only playing certain players for X number of minutes and not playing other players because of whatever reason.

Yes!! Players want to play. None of them came to sit.

 

[uconnever]

Deberry needs to be a regular rotation player holding her own, not be special just hold her own. That and good health and we should win it all.

 

[Next 12]

The Huskies went 4-0 in their exhibition games and had a chance to bond and build chemistry as a team on the trip. ​

The UConn women’s basketball team is back in Storrs and have begun the fall semester after returning from its 10-day European tour. The Huskies went 4-0 in their exhibition games and had a chance to bond and build chemistry as a team on the trip. Some highlights included visiting Nika Mühl’s hometown of Zagreb, Croatia, going ziplining and exploring a castle in Bled, Slovenia, participating in a track simulator and pit crew challenge at the Ferrari museum in Maranello, Italy and then wrapping things up with a Gondola tour through the canals of Venice, Italy.

As head coach Geno Auriemma said before his team left, these trips always help him learn something. So though the games weren’t competitive until the fourth and final one against Pecs and both Paige Bueckers and Ayanna Patterson didn’t play, there’s still some insight to be gained about what the Huskies will look like this season. Here are the top takeaways from UConn’s foreign tour.

What we learned from UConn women’s basketball’s European tour

Here’s what we learned about the 2023-24 UConn Huskies from their games overseas. Freshmen impress, health updates, press defense and more.

www.courant.com

Geno learned that he has a team that he has been looking for, for the last 3 years. A team that is healthy and well conditioned and way advanced then most freshman teams. He will have a much less stressful year of coaching this team with all of it's potential and look forward to his 12th NC finally. It was a real shame about Jana, as I have said, that she would have been way over any expectations anyone had of her. Jana would have been the final player that would have insured the 12th NC. This team will be really exciting and bring Uconn back to No,1. GO TEAM!!! GO HUSKIES!!!!

 

[wingsfan055]

I learned that Coach G is going to have to ease up on this idea of only playing certain players for X number of minutes and not playing other players because of whatever reason.

I think Geno will sit players more so they are healthy and fresh in March. Doesn't matter if we have 3 losses or 5 losses or 8 losses, if the team has no depth in March.

 

[Carnac]

I think Geno will sit players more so they are healthy and fresh in March. Doesn't matter if we have 3 losses or 5 losses or 8 losses, if the team has no depth in March.

I look for Geno to use his bench more liberally this year, allowing his starters to be rested for the 4th quarter. Last year, Nika and Aaliyah played nearly 38-40 minutes a game. That won’t be necessary this year. A player that’s rested going into the final ten minutes of a game can be dangerous.

 

[sun]

A new article by the Hartford Courant about KK's high energy level.
Geno said that she's the “biggest surprise” of summer workouts.
I didn't find the article to be behind a paywall.

At times, Azzi Fudd finds herself thinking of Arnold, “How is this girl still going?” She simply has that much energy. So much so that the junior guard says she “can’t even describe it.”

Freshman KK Arnold is bringing all the energy to UConn women’s basketball

KK Arnold stood out on the Huskies’ European tour, averaging 13.0 points, 4.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game. Here’s why she has impressed UConn head coach Geno Auriemma and her team…

www.courant.com

 

[Kaizen]

A new article by the Hartford Courant about KK's high energy level.
Geno said that she's the “biggest surprise” of summer workouts.
I didn't find the article to be behind a paywall.

At times, Azzi Fudd finds herself thinking of Arnold, “How is this girl still going?” She simply has that much energy. So much so that the junior guard says she “can’t even describe it.”

Freshman KK Arnold is bringing all the energy to UConn women’s basketball

KK Arnold stood out on the Huskies’ European tour, averaging 13.0 points, 4.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game. Here’s why she has impressed UConn head coach Geno Auriemma and her team…

www.courant.com

I expect KK to be the Freshman Of The Year 2023-2024.

 

[Rowdy831]

Chemistry of the team is good in an environment where everyone plays and competition is weak. Azzi looked like she was in great shape and I look for her to finally be what she is capable of being with a healthy Paige. Edwards is moving from where she left off which means UCONN has three legit 20 point scorers which is a huge improvement over last season.

On the down side I worry about CD as a person, not whether she can play basketball but can she take too many more hits to the head and still have a normal productive life outside ball. Paige didn't play at all so here recovery wasn't on full display but I expect she will be ready to go without any limitations. The real question for me though is will they have another big that will step up and fill the void on the other side of Edwards?

With all that I think UCONN will be the team to beat. I don't think they will have very many competitive games this year and will just be too overpowering on the offensive end of the floor. I guess the truth will be learned in a few months.

 

[Alydar]

I expect KK to be the Freshman Of The Year 2023-2024.

FOY is usually awarded to a starter. Nothing against Arnold but I hope she never starts a game this year.