I mean there will be a 6th year senior on the roster, a fifth year senior (Kaitlyn) two 4th year players (Azzi and Carol), and two players in their third year of college (Ice and Ayanna). I really don’t see this as a huge concern going into next season as we lack a lot of in game experience but have experience in the program and experience with adversity in spades.
Definitely aware she's been dealing with a bunch of head trauma since her freshman year. I mainly mentioned the hip surgery and immediately after mentioned her being in great physical shape to start the season last year to point out her movement. I thought as a sophomore on the heals of the surgery she didn't move very well. But in the summer and maybe the first couple games she was moving, like switching ends and cutting well. To your point and to the difficulty in assessing her status, her being physically ready also includes her head, neck etc. And that's y I said I have no idea what to expect. I don't know the rehab or the ramp up process for her condition
I like your thinking and analysis, just disappointed you didn't mention Caroline at all. If she's healthy from day 1 or 10, it will be very hard to keep her off the court.
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This is true, but even with all the injury craziness last year, we still had the same 5 starters from early December on.
It's as simple as she's the second or third best PG on the team (depending on Chen) and probably 4th or 5th best guard overall. She should solidly be in the rotation though and one of the first, if not the first, guard off the bench. Ideally everyone will be healthy this year and we won't need to start multiple PGs.
I think it's a function of thinking of lineups not absolutely but in terms of how the season develops. I've long though that this fall, Geno will start his most experienced 5 (among the healthy) and to me that says KK starts alongside Paige Ash Ice and Jana. Then he lets the season unfold and makes changes as the competition in practice reveals a more suitable starting lineup to him.
Losing your starting spot to a 5th year senior transfer in February would be demoralizing to a young PG imo. I don't see Geno doing that unless KK seriously underperforms because I think he see's KK as the PG of the future and that could seriously derail her imo.
Excuse the delay I'm on vacation with the family, but just for the record who are these 4 PGs tht will possibly gonna be ahead her her? Besides Paige who's gonna make up the assist we lose with Nika? Who's gonna make up the defensive pressure on the point tht Nika gave the team? And who's gonna collect 90 or more steals (which led the team) thn her? For 3 off seasons a WHOLE lot of posters proclaimed tht Nika won't start or by January Nika will be coming off the bench and the same posters were very very quiet whn proven wrong. Geno loves those PGs tht know and handle their roles and it doesn't have to be by scoring a bunch of points. The pg position is the hardest position to learn, they are a extension from the coach to the players on the floor.
I totally agree.
Good point. Still, I think if the rotation is based on no one other than Paige and Azzi exceeding 20 minutes, coming off the bench might not seem like much of a demotion. She may end up feeling like Aubrey coming off the bench, you know, like superwoman, or like Evina, who did the same. The tradition at UConn is deeper than just one binary set of alternatives. In fact, Evina is perhaps the best example of Husky selflessness. She's the ultimate team role model in my view.
I thk it's her job to lose
If the rotation is based on no one exceeding 20 minutes, why even make the change atp? I just don't see the rational to start KK at the beginning of the year just to remove her near the end of the season when she would have been starting for almost two full seasons at that point, for player that won't even be here the following year. I think Chen will start from day 1 or won't start at all.
I said 4th or 5th best GUARD overall, i said she was the second or third best PG. And I think Paige, and Azzi are clearly above and Chen and Shade could also be listed above KK at the guard position, putting her in that 4-5 position in the backcourt.
Difficult to see how a second year player losing the starting job to a (very good) fifth year senior should be so demoralizing as to affect her future performance? It’s not as if she (KK) is not going to get lots of playing time anyway.The question is, how much has KK improved over the summer? Hopefully, she has put in a lot of work on her shot, especially the three and her midrange. If her three is substantially better, she’s going to be a real handful! This really goes for Ash as well. If those two come back greatly improved, especially in terms of their shooting, then it becomes very difficult to see how anyone on this roster is going to take their starting position away. It’s not as though either one of them were chopped liver last season! This roster is so talented though, that everyone better be working their tails off or someone will take their spot!
My issue isn't with her losing her starting job in general. Its losing it in February that I think any player would have an issue with. If she is good enough to start most of 2024, and in November, December and January of this season, what would have had to occur to pull her from the starting line up at that point?
I think Chen WILL start over Arnold, but from the beginning of the season on. A February starting line up change would demoralize most Sophmore that would have been starting most of their careers to that point, imo.
1--- I am so moved by the prospect of having multiple scoring threats.1--- I expect Kaitlyn to start but it's close. As Azzi gets more comfortable, the player okaying alongside Azzi and Paige,in addition to getting the ball inside to Sara/Jana will get the continued nod. Both have to be efficient shooting the ball. That makes the game easier for Paige/Azzi and the Posts. It won't be that much about scoing but efficiency.
2--- Great Offenses have balance. UCONN s going to do everything they can to try to get scoring from the Post. The problem is that Ice's strength is not low post scoring. This leads to Sarah and Jana getting lots of opportunities to score inside. Many are very certain with Jana. For me I am certain that Sarah will be a hammer. If Jana isn't very good as a low post scorer, then through the motion offense Sarah will be the team's 3rd top scorer behind Paige and a healthy Azzi.
3---In regard to Azzi, whenever she is deemed "healthy," the 6 game early-season-window we saw in her soph year would indicate one of the elite players in the game. That version of Azzi is going to play over 30 minutes in big games. You don't sit an elite guard that is among the top 10 bets if not better in big games all-in-the-name of making the game more about endurance than basketball. Superstar guards are a different breed that superstar centers.
4--- The five players coming back from injury (Azzi, Jana, Aubrey, Caroline and Ayanna), make this team such a wildcard. For me, I can't speak of 3 of them - Caroline, Ayanna, and to a lesser degree Aubrey until I see them in game action.
5-- As long as UCONN keeps winning as much as they do, detrimental morale will never be an issue. The player's aren't brittle.
6--- I've agreed with Cuango's sentiment/posts regarding Sarah the moment she committed to UCONN. Not having to be Option 1 or 2 as a frosh and not have to rely on just being an outside shooter will be an enormous benefit. I expect that she'll shine brightly in this specific Offense. Great teams have some sort of balanced inside/outside Offense and Sarah should be able to score very efficiently as the 3rd Option. This is why she was considered the perfect fit.
Nika has the most assists two seasons in a row, then breaks the all time assists record at UConn and you say others could have covered her offense. What are you smoking and can I get some of it.