And the UConn starting lineup is. . .

[Rb335]

The thing that has scared me about the lineup changes is this.

Before, teams would adjust their starting 5 to better face uconn. Now uconn is changing their starting 5 to better face their opponents.

To me, that makes uconn look more vulnerable and I think it is a sign of weakness, that too many player took too long to develop or overcome injury this season.

This team could run the table, but I think they need a reliable starting 5 and bench rotation each 6 games. Constantly switching the game play takes away from uconn playing uconn basketball. That is where we seem to get into trouble.

 

[blackbird]

I think the starting lineup issue is simple.

Caroline Doty proved to Geno that she just can't play against the elite teams any longer. He didn't want to make the change (I didn't want him to have to make the change.) But its that simple. She proved she shouldn't be starting near the end of the season, and she proved she probably shouldn't even be playing against teams like Notre Dame in the last game of the season.

And the key is "proved." She had to prove it..because Geno didn't want to make this needed decision. In fact, I didn't want him to make it either. But we all know, it's necessary.

So then the trick becomes, who is the fifth starter? I think he toyed with the idea of Tuck because she's the most solid. But then because she was the most solid, decided to try the other two, because he didn't need to worry about her. He could insert her when needed and she'd be fine. (Although, I do wish he would play her more.)

Next he tried Moriah, as he wants Bria to be free to score. But at the end of the day, he didn't trust Moriah against Notre Dame, so I don't think she's going to be the starter.

So we're left with Stewart. The most talented of the freshman. She had her breakout game..proved she could play with Notre Dame to herself. She's our fifth starter.

 

[chrissaran]

The starting lineup should be: Kelly, Stef, KML, Bria and Breanna. MOJeff and Morgan first off the bench.

 

[meyers7]

In the immortal words of the Rolling Stones."You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you might just find you get what you need."

One of my favorite songs.

 

[vtcwbuff]

I look at the various assumptions and rationalizations above and it does not give me confidence.
I fervently hope that Geno is not experimenting.
The matchup issue makes me think of Grant at the Wilderness. To paraphrase: Don't worry about what Bobby Lee is going to do to us, concentrate on what we're going to do to him.

I figured that Geno was going to use this extended no-play practice time to integrate his octet into a chamber ensemble of near equals:
that he would sort out the point guard situ; meaning:awarding MoJeff her graduate degree and taking the lumps for the miscues that would go with the brilliance,

that he would work with Kiah on being a monster around the basket on offense so that Stef could get some needed rest during games,

that he would solve the problem of using Morgan to better effect whether it was injury or whatever other inexplicable reason that limited her minutes; she is certainly ready and has so demonstrated

that he would rehearse a few more plays that get Stewie open over the middle, where she is a killer,

that he would help Bria to rekindle the confidence that made her an assassin.

That he would (finally) fully integrate the underclassmen into offense and rotation so that KML, Kelly, and Stef and Bria do not have to use themselves up to the point of ineffectiveness and that this 8-person rotation is a huge positive.

And that having taken Caroline out of the starting line-up, surely he can find a role for her and increase the rotation to nine.

Stef, Kelly, Bria and KML can carry the team just so far.

And even if at the end we do not prevail, the youngsters will go into next season brimming with confidence and ready to compete at the highest level, because the boss had decided to live or die with them on the court.

He's a great coach, he can do it.

The Grant quote - "Oh, I am heartily tired of hearing about what Lee is going to do," he roared back. "Some of you seem to think he is suddenly going to turn a double somersault, and land in our rear and on both of our flanks at the same time.

I'm not sure how the quote applies, but what I am sure of is that come crunch time Auriemma has always relied on 5-6 players to do the heavy lifting. time. He has 5-6 players capable of winning a NC - IF they play to their potential - all at the same time.

 

[vtcwbuff]

If by "not a gimme" you mean, there is a chance they could lose, we agree. I think where we disagree is what that chance is.

I mean my confidence in December was higher than my confidence in March. I still see UConn as a FF team.