alexrgct
RIP, Alex
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So, UConn’s 2012-13 UConn’s WBB schedule has been released. I thought it would be fun to rate UConn’s regular season games in order of concern in a somewhat logical, somewhat arbitrary fashion.
I’ve graded each game on a scale of one to 10. A one means I exude a TonyC level of optimism that UConn will win the game. Of course, TonyC would rate the Miami Heat a one if they were on UConn’s schedule. Just kidding…maybe. A five means I expect UConn to win, but this could be a spoiler game. A 7.5 would be a 50/50 game. A 10 indicates I expect UConn to lose and it would be an upset if they did not.
Mark them a 1!
These are teams where “the play that secured the win” from the CPTV Era would be the opening tip. I will not expend the effort to address each opponent individually, as it’s pretty self-evident:
· College of Charleston- not technically one of the preseason exhibition games, but it won’t be more than a glorified scrimmage.
· Colgate- a tube of toothpaste would have as much of a chance as the college that shares the name.
· Oakland- hey, their men’s team is occasionally decent. Unfortunately, the women’s team is who is making the trek to New England from Michigan.
· Hartford- UConn will drive to Hartford. Geno and CD will hug Jenn warmly. Pleasantries will be exchanged. The Hawks will lose. Badly.
The rest of the schedule in chronological order:
Texas A&M- make no mistake about it, there will be 15,000 maroon-wearing dorks making a ton of noise (the preferred cheer is a sustained “heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey” when the opposing team has the ball, with a bunch of “whoops” thrown in for good measure). They have a hideous court that can be a bit distracting. Oh, and their team should be solid. They brought in a ton of talented kids with their 2012 recruiting class and return the core of the team that, despite its ups downs last year, nearly sneaked into the Elite Eight. Fear factor- 5. I think this game will be like the past couple of times UConn has gone to Norman to play OU- not the easiest game, but ultimately won pretty handily.
Wake Forest- UConn’s reign of terror over the ACC continues. I mean, Wake has a better chance than a tube of toothpaste, but unless they can sneak Tim Duncan and Chris Paul into a jersey and slap a couple of wigs on them, this is not going to be close. Fear factor- 2.
Marist- Marist is plucky, well coached, and has a roster full of Northeastern girls who may well have dreamed about playing for UConn when they were younger. They will keep it close for a while, but UConn just has way too much firepower and athleticism. And the Huskies have a pretty good coach in their own right. Fear factor- 3
Purdue-their 2011-12 season ended with a disappointing effort in the tourney on their home court. They graduated their best player, former UConn recruit Brittnay Rayburn. The Boilermakers need some time to forge an identity for 2012-13. In November, they will not be close to ready. Fear factor- 2
Maryland- In a vacuum, Alyssa Thomas could be the best player on the court when the two powerhouses square off in the Jimmy V Classic. The problem is that UConn has a number of players who are close to her caliber at least. Too much depth, plus in Hartford, plus MD’s horrific performance against Notre Dame in the Elite Eight last year, plus UConn’s recent success against the ACC, and I’d be surprised if this game had a margin of victory lower than 15. Fear factor- 4
Penn State- If Maggie Lucas goes totally ballistic, this could be a game. Otherwise, I have a tough time imagining it will be any closer than the regional semifinal matchup last season. Fear factor- 4
Stanford- UConn will have the better team, but it’s on the West Coast and the first game after Christmas. Stanford will have the pieces to make it a nightmare if the Cardinal catches UConn napping. Fear factor- 6
Oregon-I can’t name a single player on Oregon’s team, but I can say they went 15-16 last year against a weak schedule and are not going to beat UConn this year. Fear factor- 2
Notre Dame 1- this is a huge game for both teams. I like the decision to have it at Gampel. Skylar, McBride, et al don’t fear UConn, but I just don’t think they have the horses to come to Storrs and beat this Huskies team- Fear factor- 4
Georgetown- Georgetown in a rebuilding year. A team UConn does not like. A lot of new players. A new head coach. This isn’t going to be much of a game. Fear factor- 3
Marquette 1- kind of a low point last year for UConn. Players were benched. Kids were crying. CPTV was forced to air a production that featured some of the worst color commentary in the history of the known universe. And UConn still won by 40+. I’m going to go out on a limb and say UConn wins this one. Fear factor- 2. And SNY, please send your own production/announcing crew to Milwaukee, for the love of God.
Louisville- now, this could be a game. The Cardinals made the game ugly last year and will be better this season. I think they come in guns blazing and make things unpleasant for a while. Plus, this game carries with it the dreaded Curse of the CBS Sports Network. The past two years, UConn has played its annual game on that network and had a harder than expected time of it (West Virginia in 2011, Louisville in 2012). Fear factor- 5
Syracuse- no one other than Tiffany Hayes could shoot at the Carrier Dome last year. Thankfully, this year, the game will be in Hartford. And Breanna Stewart won’t have to buy a ticket to see it or, for that matter, only watch from the sidelines. Plus UConn owns ACC teams. Fear factor- 3
Duke- I kind of have “I’ll believe it when I see it” syndrome when it comes to Duke being able to come to Storrs and make a game of it. That being said, this should be the best Duke team of Coach P’s tenure. EW is a star in the making, Chelsea Gray can be scary, and they have great depth. Fear factor- 5
Cincinnati- Jamelle’s team seemed to be improving last year, but making the NCAA tourney would be a good goal for her. Beating UConn would not. Fear factor- 3
Villanova- I hate this game. I certainly don’t fear this game, however. Fear factor- 3
St John’s- I choose to believe that the result during the BET was closer to the real chasm between the two teams as opposed to what happened on Senior Night last year. Plus KBA is in Ann Arbor, not Queens. A little residual bad mojo makes me give it a higher fear rating than Cincy or Nova, however. Fear factor- 3.5
Marquette 2- this time it’s personal? Fear factor- 2
DePaul- Doug’s girls always have a puncher’s chance in theory, but the problem is that UConn plays their style of ball better than they do. If you want to make it a track meet, the Huskies will leave tread marks on you on the way to the basket. Fear factor- 3.5
Providence- probably should have had this game in the “Mark it a 1” category. This will not be a competitive women’s basketball game. Fear factor- 1.5
Rutgers- Rutgers has talent, but they haven’t really competed with UConn recently. Even the BET Quarterfinals last year, which was not a pleasant game to watch if you enjoy watching people put the ball in the basket, was not an especially close game. Still, factor in the talent, the location (the RAC), and the possibility of the game being ugly and low scoring, and this game will always have me a little nervous. It’s also two days before the biggest game of the regular season, not just for UConn, but very likely in all of WCBB. Fear factor- 6. No, Rutgers will not be as good as Stanford, but if you’re looking to pick a game that could be closer than you’d expect, this one is an easy choice.
Baylor- not sure what else needs to be said here. They’re the defending champs. They will most likely be riding a 60+ game win streak. They have a 6’8” center who is a near mortal lock to be NPOY again and a PG who is likely to be First Team AA. I think this will be a great showcase for WBB, and it will be hotly contested by both teams. I consider this a 50-50 game at home. Neutral site or in Waco, and I’d favor Baylor slightly. Fear factor- 7.5
Seton Hall and Pittsburgh at home- two completely uncompetitive games to help the Huskies come down from what will surely be a draining contest with Baylor, no matter the result. I’m assuming Seton Hall will be the Senior Night opponent? Fear factor- 1.5, mainly because Ann Donovan is twice as tall as Geno.
USF- this game was close for no particular reason last year, and Tiffany Hayes was POG. I’ll go ahead and give the Bulls a courtesy Fear factor- 3. Plus this game is two days ahead of Notre Dame in South Bend.
Notre Dame 2- Senior Night for Skylar. Hostile environment. ND will have had more time to forge an identity. If the Irish are going to steal a game from UConn this upcoming season, this would be the one. Fear factor- 6
I’ve graded each game on a scale of one to 10. A one means I exude a TonyC level of optimism that UConn will win the game. Of course, TonyC would rate the Miami Heat a one if they were on UConn’s schedule. Just kidding…maybe. A five means I expect UConn to win, but this could be a spoiler game. A 7.5 would be a 50/50 game. A 10 indicates I expect UConn to lose and it would be an upset if they did not.
Mark them a 1!
These are teams where “the play that secured the win” from the CPTV Era would be the opening tip. I will not expend the effort to address each opponent individually, as it’s pretty self-evident:
· College of Charleston- not technically one of the preseason exhibition games, but it won’t be more than a glorified scrimmage.
· Colgate- a tube of toothpaste would have as much of a chance as the college that shares the name.
· Oakland- hey, their men’s team is occasionally decent. Unfortunately, the women’s team is who is making the trek to New England from Michigan.
· Hartford- UConn will drive to Hartford. Geno and CD will hug Jenn warmly. Pleasantries will be exchanged. The Hawks will lose. Badly.
The rest of the schedule in chronological order:
Texas A&M- make no mistake about it, there will be 15,000 maroon-wearing dorks making a ton of noise (the preferred cheer is a sustained “heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey” when the opposing team has the ball, with a bunch of “whoops” thrown in for good measure). They have a hideous court that can be a bit distracting. Oh, and their team should be solid. They brought in a ton of talented kids with their 2012 recruiting class and return the core of the team that, despite its ups downs last year, nearly sneaked into the Elite Eight. Fear factor- 5. I think this game will be like the past couple of times UConn has gone to Norman to play OU- not the easiest game, but ultimately won pretty handily.
Wake Forest- UConn’s reign of terror over the ACC continues. I mean, Wake has a better chance than a tube of toothpaste, but unless they can sneak Tim Duncan and Chris Paul into a jersey and slap a couple of wigs on them, this is not going to be close. Fear factor- 2.
Marist- Marist is plucky, well coached, and has a roster full of Northeastern girls who may well have dreamed about playing for UConn when they were younger. They will keep it close for a while, but UConn just has way too much firepower and athleticism. And the Huskies have a pretty good coach in their own right. Fear factor- 3
Purdue-their 2011-12 season ended with a disappointing effort in the tourney on their home court. They graduated their best player, former UConn recruit Brittnay Rayburn. The Boilermakers need some time to forge an identity for 2012-13. In November, they will not be close to ready. Fear factor- 2
Maryland- In a vacuum, Alyssa Thomas could be the best player on the court when the two powerhouses square off in the Jimmy V Classic. The problem is that UConn has a number of players who are close to her caliber at least. Too much depth, plus in Hartford, plus MD’s horrific performance against Notre Dame in the Elite Eight last year, plus UConn’s recent success against the ACC, and I’d be surprised if this game had a margin of victory lower than 15. Fear factor- 4
Penn State- If Maggie Lucas goes totally ballistic, this could be a game. Otherwise, I have a tough time imagining it will be any closer than the regional semifinal matchup last season. Fear factor- 4
Stanford- UConn will have the better team, but it’s on the West Coast and the first game after Christmas. Stanford will have the pieces to make it a nightmare if the Cardinal catches UConn napping. Fear factor- 6
Oregon-I can’t name a single player on Oregon’s team, but I can say they went 15-16 last year against a weak schedule and are not going to beat UConn this year. Fear factor- 2
Notre Dame 1- this is a huge game for both teams. I like the decision to have it at Gampel. Skylar, McBride, et al don’t fear UConn, but I just don’t think they have the horses to come to Storrs and beat this Huskies team- Fear factor- 4
Georgetown- Georgetown in a rebuilding year. A team UConn does not like. A lot of new players. A new head coach. This isn’t going to be much of a game. Fear factor- 3
Marquette 1- kind of a low point last year for UConn. Players were benched. Kids were crying. CPTV was forced to air a production that featured some of the worst color commentary in the history of the known universe. And UConn still won by 40+. I’m going to go out on a limb and say UConn wins this one. Fear factor- 2. And SNY, please send your own production/announcing crew to Milwaukee, for the love of God.
Louisville- now, this could be a game. The Cardinals made the game ugly last year and will be better this season. I think they come in guns blazing and make things unpleasant for a while. Plus, this game carries with it the dreaded Curse of the CBS Sports Network. The past two years, UConn has played its annual game on that network and had a harder than expected time of it (West Virginia in 2011, Louisville in 2012). Fear factor- 5
Syracuse- no one other than Tiffany Hayes could shoot at the Carrier Dome last year. Thankfully, this year, the game will be in Hartford. And Breanna Stewart won’t have to buy a ticket to see it or, for that matter, only watch from the sidelines. Plus UConn owns ACC teams. Fear factor- 3
Duke- I kind of have “I’ll believe it when I see it” syndrome when it comes to Duke being able to come to Storrs and make a game of it. That being said, this should be the best Duke team of Coach P’s tenure. EW is a star in the making, Chelsea Gray can be scary, and they have great depth. Fear factor- 5
Cincinnati- Jamelle’s team seemed to be improving last year, but making the NCAA tourney would be a good goal for her. Beating UConn would not. Fear factor- 3
Villanova- I hate this game. I certainly don’t fear this game, however. Fear factor- 3
St John’s- I choose to believe that the result during the BET was closer to the real chasm between the two teams as opposed to what happened on Senior Night last year. Plus KBA is in Ann Arbor, not Queens. A little residual bad mojo makes me give it a higher fear rating than Cincy or Nova, however. Fear factor- 3.5
Marquette 2- this time it’s personal? Fear factor- 2
DePaul- Doug’s girls always have a puncher’s chance in theory, but the problem is that UConn plays their style of ball better than they do. If you want to make it a track meet, the Huskies will leave tread marks on you on the way to the basket. Fear factor- 3.5
Providence- probably should have had this game in the “Mark it a 1” category. This will not be a competitive women’s basketball game. Fear factor- 1.5
Rutgers- Rutgers has talent, but they haven’t really competed with UConn recently. Even the BET Quarterfinals last year, which was not a pleasant game to watch if you enjoy watching people put the ball in the basket, was not an especially close game. Still, factor in the talent, the location (the RAC), and the possibility of the game being ugly and low scoring, and this game will always have me a little nervous. It’s also two days before the biggest game of the regular season, not just for UConn, but very likely in all of WCBB. Fear factor- 6. No, Rutgers will not be as good as Stanford, but if you’re looking to pick a game that could be closer than you’d expect, this one is an easy choice.
Baylor- not sure what else needs to be said here. They’re the defending champs. They will most likely be riding a 60+ game win streak. They have a 6’8” center who is a near mortal lock to be NPOY again and a PG who is likely to be First Team AA. I think this will be a great showcase for WBB, and it will be hotly contested by both teams. I consider this a 50-50 game at home. Neutral site or in Waco, and I’d favor Baylor slightly. Fear factor- 7.5
Seton Hall and Pittsburgh at home- two completely uncompetitive games to help the Huskies come down from what will surely be a draining contest with Baylor, no matter the result. I’m assuming Seton Hall will be the Senior Night opponent? Fear factor- 1.5, mainly because Ann Donovan is twice as tall as Geno.
USF- this game was close for no particular reason last year, and Tiffany Hayes was POG. I’ll go ahead and give the Bulls a courtesy Fear factor- 3. Plus this game is two days ahead of Notre Dame in South Bend.
Notre Dame 2- Senior Night for Skylar. Hostile environment. ND will have had more time to forge an identity. If the Irish are going to steal a game from UConn this upcoming season, this would be the one. Fear factor- 6
