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Since the regular season is over, and for several UConn alumnae, that means that the entire season is over, thought it would be good to review how they did. Beginning with the kids who hadn't come out superstars...
Tiffany Hayes- One of the most criticized starters at UConn for years, TH has done nothing but improve year after year after year in the WNBA. Failing to score in double-digits for Atlanta only twice this season, she reached a career scoring high of 17.2 ppg. That was higher than last season, which was higher than the season before, etc. In fact, in only one of her seven seasons in the W did she fail to improve her scoring average, and that season she matched her previous total. She also hit a new high of 2.7 assists/game, though her rebounds and steals were about par with previous seasons.
TH's new/old teammate at Atlanta, Renee Montgomery, really found her stride this season. Not only did she score her highest (10.3 ppg) average in five years, but she also hit a seven-year high in steals (1.3/game), assists (3.7), and a five-year high in rebounds/game- 1.7. Moreover, she ended the regular season on a roll, averaging 20 ppg in her last four games.
In New York, Bria Hartley recorded came back from motherhood to record her highest scoring average since her rookie season- 8.5 ppg, along with new career highs in assists (3.6) and rebounds (2.9). Sadly she won't be taking those new highs into the playoffs, at The Garden, or in White Plains.
Kia Stokes ended the season with her two best games of the year, scoring 10 points and 12 points in the finale. She pulled down 35 rebounds in her last three games. Unfortunately, those were her only double-digit scoring games of the year, and her scoring average dipped for the second straight year. Indeed, she's now scoring at barely half the rate of her rookie season: 3.1 ppg versus 5.8. Her rebounding average- 4.5 pg- also sank to its lowest of her career. With a scoring rank of #101 out of 1117 players listed at the end of the season, her chances of remaining in the American pro league next summer are looking wobbly.
Gabby Williams, our super forward, recorded a respectable rookie season, starting for Chicago and scoring a consistent 7.3 ppg, while pulling down 4.3 rebounds. While she wrote in her blog about "hitting the wall" of fatigue sometime during the season, she was pretty consistent. Like the Liberty UConn alumnae, however, she will not be continuing in the playoffs. Perhaps the that's a good thing, allowing her to finally rest after two stressful back-to-back basketball seasons.
UConn alumna and teammate Stephanie Dolson experienced a more problematic season, seeming to fade a bit down the stretch. While she reached double-digits in scoring in 12 of her first 19 games, she reached that mark only three times in her final eight games. While she hit a new high in assists (3 pg), her rebounding average was the lowest since her rookie season (4.6), while her blocks hit a career low (0.8). I saw elsewhere that Chicago fans were getting on her, and that the slump is perplexing. Anyone?
In Connecticut, erstwhile superstar Morgan Tuck, playing on knees that have undergone multiple surgeries, managed to score 5.9 ppg and pull down 2.3 rebounds in just over 13 mpg. Those numbers are probably fabulous given how difficult it must be to pound the court so frequently in this truncated season.
In Dallas, one-time UConn alumna Azure Stephens is finding her stride. Scoring in double figures just once in her first ten games, now starter Stephens ended the regular season scoring double-digits six of her final eight games, averaging 10.5 ppg over that stretch, and pulling down 5.8 rebounds. Her team, however, was slumping, losing 9 of its last 10. For her rookie season, she averaged just under 9 ppg, while helping Dallas to win the last playoff spot.
In Las Vegas, Moriah Jefferson continues a slow recovery from injury. She played just 21 games last season, and came back for barely half of the season this year. Her 5.4 ppg and 2.1 assists are a shadow of what she achieved two seasons ago as a rookie, and less than last year as well. Missing the playoffs, she can go back to rehab and rest.
In Seattle, Kaleena-Mosqueda Lewis helped her team to the top spot in the playoff picture. But not all that much. KML has been a true mystery, a former All-American who continues to underperform in the W. This year she seemed to be on the verge of a break-out season, in mid-season scoring in double-digits in four of ten games, and averaging 8.7 points during that period and hitting an impressive 17 of 33 3-pointers. Unfortunately, she reverted to the mean, failing to score in four of her final 13 games, and averaging just under 3 ppg through the end. KML appears mired in a 5ppg career, give or take. Time for Jeree Longman of the NYT to pen a column about her pro career and tell us what's up.
These are the ten non-superstar UConn alumnae in the W. The superstars we'll go through later.
Tiffany Hayes- One of the most criticized starters at UConn for years, TH has done nothing but improve year after year after year in the WNBA. Failing to score in double-digits for Atlanta only twice this season, she reached a career scoring high of 17.2 ppg. That was higher than last season, which was higher than the season before, etc. In fact, in only one of her seven seasons in the W did she fail to improve her scoring average, and that season she matched her previous total. She also hit a new high of 2.7 assists/game, though her rebounds and steals were about par with previous seasons.
TH's new/old teammate at Atlanta, Renee Montgomery, really found her stride this season. Not only did she score her highest (10.3 ppg) average in five years, but she also hit a seven-year high in steals (1.3/game), assists (3.7), and a five-year high in rebounds/game- 1.7. Moreover, she ended the regular season on a roll, averaging 20 ppg in her last four games.
In New York, Bria Hartley recorded came back from motherhood to record her highest scoring average since her rookie season- 8.5 ppg, along with new career highs in assists (3.6) and rebounds (2.9). Sadly she won't be taking those new highs into the playoffs, at The Garden, or in White Plains.
Kia Stokes ended the season with her two best games of the year, scoring 10 points and 12 points in the finale. She pulled down 35 rebounds in her last three games. Unfortunately, those were her only double-digit scoring games of the year, and her scoring average dipped for the second straight year. Indeed, she's now scoring at barely half the rate of her rookie season: 3.1 ppg versus 5.8. Her rebounding average- 4.5 pg- also sank to its lowest of her career. With a scoring rank of #101 out of 1117 players listed at the end of the season, her chances of remaining in the American pro league next summer are looking wobbly.
Gabby Williams, our super forward, recorded a respectable rookie season, starting for Chicago and scoring a consistent 7.3 ppg, while pulling down 4.3 rebounds. While she wrote in her blog about "hitting the wall" of fatigue sometime during the season, she was pretty consistent. Like the Liberty UConn alumnae, however, she will not be continuing in the playoffs. Perhaps the that's a good thing, allowing her to finally rest after two stressful back-to-back basketball seasons.
UConn alumna and teammate Stephanie Dolson experienced a more problematic season, seeming to fade a bit down the stretch. While she reached double-digits in scoring in 12 of her first 19 games, she reached that mark only three times in her final eight games. While she hit a new high in assists (3 pg), her rebounding average was the lowest since her rookie season (4.6), while her blocks hit a career low (0.8). I saw elsewhere that Chicago fans were getting on her, and that the slump is perplexing. Anyone?
In Connecticut, erstwhile superstar Morgan Tuck, playing on knees that have undergone multiple surgeries, managed to score 5.9 ppg and pull down 2.3 rebounds in just over 13 mpg. Those numbers are probably fabulous given how difficult it must be to pound the court so frequently in this truncated season.
In Dallas, one-time UConn alumna Azure Stephens is finding her stride. Scoring in double figures just once in her first ten games, now starter Stephens ended the regular season scoring double-digits six of her final eight games, averaging 10.5 ppg over that stretch, and pulling down 5.8 rebounds. Her team, however, was slumping, losing 9 of its last 10. For her rookie season, she averaged just under 9 ppg, while helping Dallas to win the last playoff spot.
In Las Vegas, Moriah Jefferson continues a slow recovery from injury. She played just 21 games last season, and came back for barely half of the season this year. Her 5.4 ppg and 2.1 assists are a shadow of what she achieved two seasons ago as a rookie, and less than last year as well. Missing the playoffs, she can go back to rehab and rest.
In Seattle, Kaleena-Mosqueda Lewis helped her team to the top spot in the playoff picture. But not all that much. KML has been a true mystery, a former All-American who continues to underperform in the W. This year she seemed to be on the verge of a break-out season, in mid-season scoring in double-digits in four of ten games, and averaging 8.7 points during that period and hitting an impressive 17 of 33 3-pointers. Unfortunately, she reverted to the mean, failing to score in four of her final 13 games, and averaging just under 3 ppg through the end. KML appears mired in a 5ppg career, give or take. Time for Jeree Longman of the NYT to pen a column about her pro career and tell us what's up.
These are the ten non-superstar UConn alumnae in the W. The superstars we'll go through later.
