Aneesah Morrow list

[sdhoops]

In response to an earlier post, it's my personal opinion that Azure on the 2018 hurt the team rather than help the team. Napheesa was delegated to a role player and Azure did not play the way Geno wanted her to, especially in the post season. The next year, the squad really missed Gabby, otherwise that was a potential back-to-back championship run.

 

[Tonyc]

Tony here’s why Betts is a good bet. While she didn’t play a lot of minutes at Stanford, she did play prime time minutes as Brink’s backup, frequently when Brink was in foul trouble. Her production in those minutes was actually better on a per 40 basis than Brink. She has a well developed, back to the basket, low post game on offense and she is an excellent rim protector on defense.

Certainly, Betts has room for improvement. But at 6’7”, with 3 years of eligibility, she checks all the boxes for UConn and, imo, makes UConn a solid favorite to win the national championship in each of the next 3 years.

As I have said many times, I am not generally in favor of recruiting over players already on the roster. But the upside for Betts, particularly under the coaching she would get at UConn, is too great to pass up.

IMO its not worth the chance on loosing one or more players on our roster or loosing potential recruits who have already told Geno theyre coming to UConn. Betts would be here 3 years and if she doesnt work out we have nothing. We dont know what the story was at Stanford and with the players who have graduated I would think Betts would see more time this coming season plus she would have a Stanford education which would open alot of doors. We just dont know why. Geno knows what he's got and who is coming I dont think its worth the chance we have to much to loose.

 

[oldude]

In response to an earlier post, it's my personal opinion that Azure on the 2018 hurt the team rather than help the team. Napheesa was delegated to a role player and Azure did not play the way Geno wanted her to, especially in the post season. The next year, the squad really missed Gabby, otherwise that was a potential back-to-back championship run.

I don’t know that I would go quite that far. But there was a challenge that UConn never quite figured out in 2018, and that was how to play with both Z and Pheesa on the court at the same time.

Both players were at their best in the low post. When Geno attempted to play them both at the same time, Pheesa was usually the one moving out to the perimeter, which is suboptimal for a player with the best arsenal of low post scoring moves in college basketball.

 

[oldude]

IMO its not worth the chance on loosing one or more players on our roster or loosing potential recruits who have already told Geno theyre coming to UConn. Betts would be here 3 years and if she doesnt work out we have nothing. We dont know what the story was at Stanford and with the players who have graduated I would think Betts would see more time this coming season plus she would have a Stanford education which would open alot of doors. We just dont know why. Geno knows what he's got and who is coming I dont think its worth the chance we have to much to loose.

As you point out, “Geno knows what he’s got”, particularly when it comes to Jana & Ice. If those players impressed him enough in practice, then I agree that there may be no need to pursue Betts. Having said that, we know that Morgan is following a number of players in the portal, including Betts. I’m sure that Geno and his staff will do their due diligence to determine:

1. Is UConn interested?
2. Is the transfer interested in UConn?
3. Do we bring her in for a visit?
4. Does she fit?
5. Do we offer her our last available scholarship?

In past years UConn has had transfers visit, meet the team and subsequently not offer them a scholarship. Time will tell if Betts, or any transfers end up at UConn next season.

 

[visitingcock]

As you point out, “Geno knows what he’s got”, particularly when it comes to Jana & Ice. If those players impressed him enough in practice, then I agree that there may be no need to pursue Betts. Having said that, we know that Morgan is following a number of players in the portal, including Betts. I’m sure that Geno and his staff will do their due diligence to determine:

1. Is UConn interested?
2. Is the transfer interested in UConn?
3. Do we bring her in for a visit?
4. Does she fit?
5. Do we offer her our last available scholarship?

In past years UConn has had transfers visit, meet the team and subsequently not offer them a scholarship. Time will tell if Betts, or any transfers end up at UConn next season.

How do you know that UConn did not offer those transfer visitors who didn’t join the team? Merely because they did not join the team? I’m pretty sure Geno/UConn wouldn’t divulge that info. Did the transfer prospect say “ I visited but they didn’t offer?”

Facts or hubris?

 

[oldude]

How do you know that UConn did not offer those transfer visitors who didn’t join the team? Merely because they did not join the team? I’m pretty sure Geno/UConn wouldn’t divulge that info. Did the transfer prospect say “ I visited but they didn’t offer?”

Facts or hubris?

While not specifically stating which players were offered and which were not, Geno has has made general comments about not offering kids that were brought in for a visit, typically because the UConn players were not comfortable with them during the visit.

There was also a highly ranked HS recruit a few years back, who shall remain nameless, whose family stated that she had been offered, when Geno indicated she had not been offered. She had visited UConn a number of times and was thought to be a “lock.”

Remember that Geno’s somewhat whimsical question to any potential transfer is, “What’s wrong with you?” Before offering a transfer a scholarship, Geno gets input from his coaching staff, the players and anyone he knows in the coaching fraternity who knows the transfer.

I have some ideas on players who I strongly suspect we’re not offered after visiting UConn. But rather than create another brewhaha on the BY, I will keep those opinions to myself.

 

[oldhusky]

IMO its not worth the chance on loosing one or more players on our roster or loosing potential recruits who have already told Geno theyre coming to UConn. Betts would be here 3 years and if she doesnt work out we have nothing. We dont know what the story was at Stanford and with the players who have graduated I would think Betts would see more time this coming season plus she would have a Stanford education which would open alot of doors. We just dont know why. Geno knows what he's got and who is coming I dont think its worth the chance we have to much to loose.

As you point out, “Geno knows what he’s got”, particularly when it comes to Jana & Ice. If those players impressed him enough in practice, then I agree that there may be no need to pursue Betts. Having said that, we know that Morgan is following a number of players in the portal, including Betts. I’m sure that Geno and his staff will do their due diligence to determine:

1. Is UConn interested?
2. Is the transfer interested in UConn?
3. Do we bring her in for a visit?
4. Does she fit?
5. Do we offer her our last available scholarship?

In past years UConn has had transfers visit, meet the team and subsequently not offer them a scholarship. Time will tell if Betts, or any transfers end up at UConn next season.

Taking your points further, Geno to a certain extent does know what he's got. More than just based on recruiting and seeing players in high school, he saw some of Ice last summer, and got to know Jana's game this last semester. My guess is he is probably pleased by what he saw.

And yet we are following Betts, who Geno also knows better than just by her HS rankings or first year stats. Geno recruited Betts, which means he thought she was very good and a likely fit at that time, and she is more known than an unknown or question mark to him now. So we are following her, despite knowing the talent we already have, and with a fair amount of knowledge about Ice, Jana and Lauren. That suggests Geno thinks the team would be better if we get her.

Contrast that with Morrow, certainly one of the top 3 or 4 transfer prospects who apparently got no interest from Uconn, or Prince who may also have not drawn interest from us even though we once recruited her too. It's not like Geno looks to recruit over existing players a lot, he doesn't. Only when a rare opportunity presents itself to take a position that would probably be good with what we have, and make it great. In fact to have a roster that then would be great at every single position. Maybe the difference between being the highest ranked team heading into next season, but with plenty of reasonably close contenders, some of whom probably will jump up because of portal additions, and the prohibitive clear cut favorite to win the championship if we get her.

Another point I wanted to make is some are concerned with how this would affect recruiting future C's. Does it make a difference in our chances for say Koval or Tac? Sure it does, but neither of those two are considered as good as Betts in the first place. True C's that are talented are very rare. Betts is the only true difference maker for this year. Next year just two, and there are plenty of competitors for Koval and Tac. Getting neither is a very real possibility. Worse in the 2025 class there are not any players in ESPN's top 25 that are over 6-3, and the highest ranked at 6-3 is actually Bett's sister, even more reason to go for her.

I consider us in the running but not the favorite at this point, but consider the decision to try for her an easy one, and based on follows, one Uconn has already decided.

 

[sun]

With Betts seemingly placing so much importance on her family being able to attend her games at Stanford, I could imagine that her parents would want to leverage/ influence both daughters to go to the same college.
I'm sure that they would rather watch both daughters play in the same game than needing to chose watching one or the other because their games are 1000 miles apart.
That idea would probably be much more acceptable to other programs than at UConn.

 

[hoophuskee]

I Betts would be here 3 years and if she doesnt work out we have nothing.

If they were to ever get Betts and if it doesn't work out for her UCONN still has Brady, Patterson, and Jana. And if Geno wants her why assume that it will automatically not work out? You don't trust Geno? If you trust Geno, then what's the big deal? You cna be :cocnerned" but bottom-line is that you trust him, right?

And if UCONN has shown interest in her, then any point of why she left Stanford seems extremely irrelevant. If ti isn't that important for UCONN, why should it be for a UCONN fan?

 

[Urshurak]

I personally don’t think there is a snowballs chance in down under either of them will come to UConn. I just don’t see it.

 

[DefenseBB]

South Carolina outrebounded Iowa 49 to 25. They took 20 more shots. Iowa won at the free throw line, making all 14 of its shots, while South Carolina missed 4 of its 13 free throws. South Carolina dominated underneath. They clobbered Iowa, except for Clark. Would South Carolina miss 16 of 20 three's if they played them again? Not likely.

You can't win a NC without a great post player. Look at past NC's: A'ja Wilson. Aaliya Boston. Britney Griner. And look at UConn teams and the posts we won with.

I hate to burst your slightly delusional bubble but you are skewing your stat assessment without knowing or giving context. SC is a bad jump shooting team. They shot 31% from the 3 and only averaged 14 per game during the regular season. Iowa shot 38.4% and averaged 24 shots per game from 3 For the season. Iowa let SC take open 3s knowing they were not good and SC proved it by shooting 20%. SC was out of its comfort zone. Conversely, Iowa did take 23 shots from beyond the arc, making only 7. Based on season statistics SC should have made 2 more 3s and Iowa should have made at least 1 more 3 (technically 1.74 more) so the additional 6 pts for SC and the 3 points for Iowa still would have Iowa winning. So I would say you can’t “cherry pick” your view on stats.

Outside shooting has been the SC Achilles heel for a few years now and was easily masked by how unbelievable their inside game has been. So No, you don’t need a dominant post to win a title but it certainly helps and as Nan pointed out, next year we have Aaliyah again with 3 of the best perimeter players in the country plus Aubrey, a healthy Ice and hopefully an eager and savvy freshman in Jana to support the post play And provide offense Underneath and in the 10 foot range.

 

[Darwin]

While not specifically stating which players were offered and which were not, Geno has has made general comments about not offering kids that were brought in for a visit, typically because the UConn players were not comfortable with them during the visit.

There was also a highly ranked HS recruit a few years back, who shall remain nameless, whose family stated that she had been offered, when Geno indicated she had not been offered. She had visited UConn a number of times and was thought to be a “lock.”

Remember that Geno’s somewhat whimsical question to any potential transfer is, “What’s wrong with you?” Before offering a transfer a scholarship, Geno gets input from his coaching staff, the players and anyone he knows in the coaching fraternity who knows the transfer.

I have some ideas on players who I strongly suspect were not offered after visiting UConn. But rather than create another brewhaha on the BY, I will keep those opinions to myself.

No kidding.

 

[Majic Hands]

AM coming to UConn is something that would totally surprise the fecal matter out of me.

A lot of discussion regarding the Portal and a Big Girl. Remember, Geno saying something to the effect of, after about a week of Lou in practice that someone who though they were going to be a starter. . . Wasn't.

Ice.
Geno & staff were working with Ice before her injury. Ice has been with the team learning how things work so her UConn basketball education has been ongoing. She will be a year older and I would feel comfortable betting the farm that she is and will be working her body into game shape and getting up to speed and be ready to go this fall.

Jana.
Geno and staff have been running Jana through practices. Jana, has been with the team for part of the season and going into this summer. I'm looking forward to seeing how she fits.

Perhaps Geno an staff don't see a need to plug up the last scholarship spot and have just a few less minutes to go to go around.

Just my gray matter sloshing around in my head.

 

[UcMiami]

I think most of us have missed having that big dominant center on the roster since Stef left a decade ago. Love the rosters since then and the players, but that true power 5 player has been missing. There are never many of those players available, and only a few each year shine in the college game at the highest levels. So when one is coming out of HS everyone recruits her, and when one of those players enters the portal everyone wants to recruit her again even if the roster is pretty full.

One issue people aren't considering enough is the recruiting pipeline, which none of us fans has a good handle on. Which bigs does the coaching staff feel good about in terms of commitment. Like the lack of knowledge on current players, we have no knowledge of the future players either.

 

[Tonyc]

If they were to ever get Betts and if it doesn't work out for her UCONN still has Brady, Patterson, and Jana. And if Geno wants her why assume that it will automatically not work out? You don't trust Geno? If you trust Geno, then what's the big deal? You cna be :cocnerned" but bottom-line is that you trust him, right?

And if UCONN has shown interest in her, then any point of why she left Stanford seems extremely irrelevant. If ti isn't that important for UCONN, why should it be for a UCONN fan?

If Betts were to come to UConn I would bet she isnt coming to sit the bench, shes coming to play and at some point start. Given the few minutes she got at Stanford most likely she will need more development and she already has one year in. If Geno knows she's ready to step in and feels she can make an impact then he should try to get her because she could be a great asset to UConns already strong lineup. If she comes I would expect she would want playtime. If that were to happen I would be concerned that Brady Patterson Jana and Amari those being recruited may just leave.

Geno mentioned in his comments the next 2 years UConn is going nowhere and wait and see who's coming. There is alot we dont know about who Geno has coming and why Betts is leaving, and Im sure does Geno know. Based on that if she does come to UConn then I would expect one of questions that Geno would have to answer is playtime which means Brady Patterson Amari and Jana would get less playtime. We have 14 players on our roster right now. Playtime will be earned and may be hard to come by especially if UConn is healthy.

Edwards is and AA and I expect if healthy so will be Paige Azzi and Caroline. Griff is coming back. I expect her to see significant minutes as this is her last season. Brady and Patterson both top 5 recruits expect to see minutes. Jana traveled across the world to play at UConn and at 6'4 is very talented She didnt commit to Geno to sit, she committed to play and got here early, last season to have a year to get ready. Almost all top recruits can go anywhere and in many cases work out a plan before they commit for playtime. Betts was the number 1 ranked girl out of HS. She is talented from what Ive read. Betts would be great to have and if Geno thinks the same I would think she will be offered. Then what happens to everybody else. We already have a deep and talented roster. Is there room for one more? Geno's decision.

 

[FormerCTrez]

With Betts seemingly placing so much importance on her family being able to attend her games at Stanford, I could imagine that her parents would want to leverage/ influence both daughters to go to the same college.
I'm sure that they would rather watch both daughters play in the same game than needing to chose watching one or the other because their games are 1000 miles apart.
That idea would probably be much more acceptable to other programs than at UConn.

Your post has brought back memories of Jon Samuelson flying on “red eye” flights just to see his daughters, Karlie and Lou, play in the NCAA tournament. During their college years, two daughters attended Stanford, and I’m sure Ma and Pa Samuelson would’ve loved having the third follow the same route. But little Sis had a mind of her own, and chose the far away school, where she made a name for herself. Though she struggled with injuries, she was a great teammate, and a dynamite from the three point line.

 

[hoophuskee]

Even if UCONN were to get AM, or Betts or anyone else on the portal or current recruits it ensures them of nothing.

If Betts were to come to UConn I would bet she isnt coming to sit the bench, shes coming to play and at some point start. Given the few minutes she got at Stanford most likely she will need more development and she already has one year in. If Geno knows she's ready to step in and feels she can make an impact then he should try to get her because she could be a great asset to UConns already strong lineup. If she comes I would expect she would want playtime. If that were to happen I would be concerned that Brady Patterson Jana and Amari those being recruited may just leave.

Geno mentioned in his comments the next 2 years UConn is going nowhere and wait and see who's coming. There is alot we dont know about who Geno has coming and why Betts is leaving, and Im sure does Geno know. Based on that if she does come to UConn then I would expect one of questions that Geno would have to answer is playtime which means Brady Patterson Amari and Jana would get less playtime. We have 14 players on our roster right now. Playtime will be earned and may be hard to come by especially if UConn is healthy.

Edwards is and AA and I expect if healthy so will be Paige Azzi and Caroline. Griff is coming back. I expect her to see significant minutes as this is her last season. Brady and Patterson both top 5 recruits expect to see minutes. Jana traveled across the world to play at UConn and at 6'4 is very talented She didnt commit to Geno to sit, she committed to play and got here early, last season to have a year to get ready. Almost all top recruits can go anywhere and in many cases work out a plan before they commit for playtime. Betts was the number 1 ranked girl out of HS. She is talented from what Ive read. Betts would be great to have and if Geno thinks the same I would think she will be offered. Then what happens to everybody else. We already have a deep and talented roster. Is there room for one more? Geno's decision.

I agree the a/a h/s players don't come to UCONN to sit. They want to play. They also come to win Big East Titles, win their Regions and get to FF's, and win Titles. This is a two-way street understood between player and coach. Both have a certain obligation to one another. As a result, it would be unfair for example to "Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd etc" if Geno didn't try to get the best possible team he can in order to win each of the goals mentioned above.

There has to be a balancing act of course. So it would come down to Geno's trust in what he has. But I believe and would agree with a decision that Geno will strive to build the team as best he can to fill a possible weakness. So,, that means some player's as you say aren't going to play much. Though I'm with many, I highly doubt Betts is coming to UCONN.

 

[SECbbfan24]

Morrow is announcing a top 3 soon

 

[darrell]

Morrow is announcing a top 3 soon

sighs Just tell us where you’re going, Aneesah. You’re a rising College Junior, not a HS Senior.

 

[Orangutan]

With Betts seemingly placing so much importance on her family being able to attend her games at Stanford, I could imagine that her parents would want to leverage/ influence both daughters to go to the same college.
I'm sure that they would rather watch both daughters play in the same game than needing to chose watching one or the other because their games are 1000 miles apart.
That idea would probably be much more acceptable to other programs than at UConn.

Hmm...a team comfortable with taking siblings, you say?

The Mabreys, the Westbelds, now the Betts sisters?

 

[SECbbfan24]

The top 10 players in the women's college basketball transfer portal

Aneesah Morrow’s numbers were absolutely staggering this season. The All-American averaged 25.7 points and 12.2 rebounds per game in 35 minutes a contest. Morrow’s recruitment is expected to be limited to the elite upper echelon of the women’s game today. Her ability to play 32-36 minutes a game with a usage rate that doesn’t tail off late in the game is special. Expect her to potentially visit national powers LSU and South Carolina later in the month and into early May.

 

[Bone Dog]

The top 10 players in the women's college basketball transfer portal

Early May? Will those “elite upper echelon” coaches wait that long for her?

 

[Carnac]

AM coming to UConn is something that would totally surprise the fecal matter out of me.

A lot of discussion regarding the Portal and a Big Girl. Remember, Geno saying something to the effect of, after about a week of Lou in practice that someone who though they were going to be a starter. . . Wasn't.

Ice.
Geno & staff were working with Ice before her injury. Ice has been with the team learning how things work so her UConn basketball education has been ongoing. She will be a year older and I would feel comfortable betting the farm that she is and will be working her body into game shape and getting up to speed and be ready to go this fall.

Jana.
Geno and staff have been running Jana through practices. Jana, has been with the team for part of the season and going into this summer. I'm looking forward to seeing how she fits.

Perhaps Geno an staff don't see a need to plug up the last scholarship spot and have just a few less minutes to go to go around.

Just my gray matter sloshing around in my head.

Me too.

 

[Kaizen]

The top 10 players in the women's college basketball transfer portal

Expect her to potentially visit national powers LSU and South Carolina later in the month and into early May.

Early May? That is not "soon" ...

 

[tower1]

The top 10 players in the women's college basketball transfer portal

Morrow would bring exactly what Uconn is lacking, toughness and scoring.