Auriemma eyes dominant frontcourt in UConn’s quest for 12th title

[hoophuskee]

Briefly:

Every fan knows this narrative: positionless basketball players desired at UConn, meaning they can play at least two of the traditional position designations. So, part of the development process is to determine their potential to do so before arrival at UConn, if possible, and be constantly on the alert to it in order to help them become versatile and interchangeable to some degree.

I thought of Maya as the best example of that versatile player at UConn, therefore cited her as reference. Came in noted in one position, ended up capable of playing three but mostly played two. The beauty of it was that she could shift from one to the other depending on the flow of the game and after a while, didn’t need to be told by the Coach: she just read the situation. She was the one that first came to mind but the whole starting five of the 2001-2002 team had players who were highly capable in at least two positions, DT and Swin probably three in the pinch for a 3rd one.

UConn next year basically have one player most suitable for wing: Caroline. She is also part of the guard rotation. Aside from using Azzi in an emergency to play there, UConn doesn’t have anyone else with a minute’s worth of experience playing there. As creative as the coaching staff (see Gabby in her junior year) two players on the current roster are possibles for developing there: Ayanna and Aubrey. Both are athletic, so if they perform, then the potential for that position greatly improves, enhancing the resources for favorable matchups against bigger teams. Aubrey’s history is not encouraging but she is still on the roster so Coach will have to try to find somewhere she can be useful.

Ayanna? You have 4 others who are going to be developed to rotate in manning the prime two positions for bigs. Ayanna can be the 5th there, no doubt. However she also presents an intriguing prospect to help improve the athleticism and size in the wing…..the kind of wing I remember Swin showed (rotated in the post according to the flow of and player movements in the game with the two other front court players)….thus help shore up that position, especially if Aubrey doesn’t contribute enough. It has nothing to do with the scouting reports which keeps saying Ayanna is a wing.

Having seen video highlights (which naturally can mislead), I agree with the scouting reports that say she is improving her range. She definitely is NOT a poor shooter (whatever you might have meant by that). Sure, the highlights shown on YouTube are mostly post scoring but there are enough instances that show mid-range and 3-pt shooting. The stroke is quite good, smooth and consistent. With diligent work she should be able to improve her accuracy. And, if the scouting reports are right that she can defend against anybody, then all the better. It would then be possible to have a team with size up front to play against the big teams out there when matchups are needed, even as it is possible to go small with 3 or 4 guards with 2 or 1 big and be effective.

Back to work now…..good bye.

Positionless basketball means positionless basketball. You’ve then identified a player needs to play at least two positions and call that positionless? IMO that is not positionless. So, is Nika also a SG in your 2 position definition of positionless? Azzi is sf or pg other than a sg? The point is- Nika is a pg. Azzi is a sg. They might incidentally play different positions which Patterson could too- but overall they are not positionless. Their best position is not multi-positions; it is one specific position.

As far as Maya She was not considered only 1 position. For any recruiting service that couldn’t understand that, then shame on them.

And using your “As we know” – so “As we know” -- Geno has said many times that he wants his players, especially freshmen, to do what they do best. What Patterson does best offensively is rebound and score in the paint. And she is arguably the 2nd worst shooter on the team. So why would the 2nd worst shooter on the team but arguably the 2nd best offensive rebounder and probably one of the better inside scorers be put on the outside for anything other than a few spot blowout minute time just to mix things up? To further that, the games I saw- she is the team’s low post player. So, if you put her out on the wing offensively, it’s like a different world to her. Even something fundamental/ simple like making a low post pass in the wing is much different than a high post pass. You can give her that in blowouts but you want her as fine-tuned as much as possible playing to her strength, which is inside where she can better cause havoc.

And how many freshmen come in an are noted as shooters as freshmen and that their 1st year they struggle a lot? So all I read was that she had a mid-range game, which means-- not a 3 point range game. So she will have no trouble as a mid-range shooter while excellent freshmen 3 point shooters struggle?

And as for the wing/ small forward, UCONN has more than just one player on the wing; they have Paige along with CD. UCONN is not playing "SC" every game. And when Nika comes in do you really think that that automatically means Paige or Azzi gets pulled? If so, can you explain the start of the 2nd quarter vs Indiana he had the three together? But more importantly vs Stanford, they played together. So one of these 3 had to be guarding Haley Jones. And Stanford is the next scary thing next to SC. So, if this lineup can guard the All-American Haley Jones in such a pressure-cooker FF game, why can’t they guard nearly every other team not named "SC" with Paige on the wing for limited minutes? She is going to get stronger, right?

What I’d like to also include is that the opposing team’s small forward is not “Breanna Stewart.” She is a college player. Not a pro. That's the player UCONN will be defending against- a college kid.

 

[hoophuskee]

There is no false narrative. The truth is UConn, even at full strength was an okay rebounding team at best while SC is one of the best rebounding teams ever.

Dorka was a loss but averaged 5.7 boards a game in 19+ minutes. Good rate, but she doesn't play enough minutes to nullify SC's advantage.

It is a false narrative. You can't just ignore they were hurt. And you are using stats of 5.7 as if it is some hard number as if Dorka was only going to see 19.8 minutes in a game like this? Geno put in DeBerry for God's sakes!

And look at last year- Geno used Liv, Edwards, and Griffin at the same time against them for a short time but this UCONN frontline was better than last year, wasn’t it? C'mon-- you can't be throwing this 5.7 rebound stuff and pretend it has an iota of meaning.

But okay- if you want to pretend – then let’s dive more into the weeds: If you are using averages then why not assume first off that Dorka would have played more than the 19.8 minutes (she averaged during the season), which means more rebounds for her than the 5.7, right? In addition, why not assume that Liv would have gotten more minutes than the 23 (which was less than her season average by the way) because there was a less of a chance that she would have been in foul trouble as early as she was, right? And why not assume that her injury also contributed to not as many rebounds and possibly more fouls? If you disregarded her injury, which it seems you are, because you make no mention of it, you might as well say any injury should never affect any player. Is that what you’re saying? Or are we only hard on UCONN?

And why not assume as they did vs SC last year that they might have done the same this year by playing Liv, AE, and Dorka together for a time? Heck, he was desperate enough to put in DeBerry, so he wouldn’t have used Dorka and Liv more in this game that demanded size and rebounding? And if you agree with any of these things then you also have to assume that some of the defensive rebounds they get and maybe even a few ORebs (granted it wouldn't be much ORebs) are numbers that you have to take away from the SC stat sheet that you are currently quoting while adding the number to the UCONN totals, right?

Yet you've just decided to exclude every bit of the bold above and just look at the 5.7 rebounds? And you are trying to say you aren't pushing a false narrative? So, you seem to be suggesting that injuries don’t count if true? . Size doesn’t count? Experience doesn’t count? And the coach (despite being desperate enough to bring in DeBerry, and last year use his 3 bigs for a time vs SC) would have sit idly by watching his team get destroyed on the glass despite the combined factors of experience and size would’ve helped while being hampered by injury??? If you disregard all this, how can you possibly suggest any stat you are using isn’t creating a false narrative?

 

[Littlemin]

All this concern about Boston and SC. Neither Mizzou nor Kentucky had a front line as good as UConn's and they both beat SC. Some coaching strategy needs to figure in there somewhere. Focusing so much on how to beat SC. There are other teams out there that has the talent to beat UConn. SC has stopped UConn's offense the last three times they played against each other. Something in that offense needs to be changed when they play SC. What adjustments have been made in three seasons? SC does to UConn what UConn used to do to them. Stanford beat SC last season and their frontline is not as big and their guards are not as quick.

Good point but those other teams had smaller players willing to mix it up and battle SC; Uconn did not. One, I repeat one, defensive rebound between Edwards and Ono in 61 minutes of play is just utterly ridiculous; Bueckers got 6 by herself in 39, and Muhl and Westbrook combined for 6 in 35 minutes. SC got more offensive rebounds than Uconn got defensive which is rare to say the least in a game between 2 teams seemingly relatively equal in talent.
I don’t generally deal with “what ifs”, if you win, you win, if you lose you lose, but It took a tremendous performance by Bueckers completely taking over against NC State to win that game and one could argue uncharacteristically poor shooting cost Stanford that game so Uconn could have easily list either of those games; obviously they did not, but maybe Uconn was going into the NC game with a little “fools gold” mind set they could compete with SC because the reality is they could not.
And excuses of being sick and playing hurt don’t cut it for me, if you play, you play; if it affects your performance to the point of being the game deciding difference maker, a player should not be on the court. Old school……….

 

[freshler40]

Good point but those other teams had smaller players willing to mix it up and battle SC; Uconn did not. One, I repeat one, defensive rebound between Edwards and Ono in 61 minutes of play is just utterly ridiculous; Bueckers got 6 by herself in 39, and Muhl and Westbrook combined for 6 in 35 minutes. SC got more offensive rebounds than Uconn got defensive which is rare to say the least in a game between 2 teams seemingly relatively equal in talent.
I don’t generally deal with “what ifs”, if you win, you win, if you lose you lose, but It took a tremendous performance by Bueckers completely taking over against NC State to win that game and one could argue uncharacteristically poor shooting cost Stanford that game so Uconn could have easily list either of those games; obviously they did not, but maybe Uconn was going into the NC game with a little “fools gold” mind set they could compete with SC because the reality is they could not.
And excuses of being sick and playing hurt don’t cut it for me, if you play, you play; if it affects your performance to the point of being the game deciding difference maker, a player should not be on the court. Old school……….

In the SC game we were a step slow at every position. Just standing in one place under the boards would have brought you more rebounds than we collected. Hustle. Both teams played on a short turn a round. The two tough earlier games drained our tank.

In any case, it was amazing, that given placement of our top draft players in this weeks draft, we consistently got to the final four. Does this show how great our other players are and the coaching by Geno and his team? We didn't have one first round choice. I'd be interested in how our other boneyarders comment on this disparity. Are the current college players just that and a gap is being developed for WNBA type players??

 

[CocoHusky]

In the SC game we were a step slow at every position. Just standing in one place under the boards would have brought you more rebounds than we collected. Hustle. Both teams played on a short turn a round. The two tough earlier games drained our tank.
In any case, it was amazing, that given placement of our top draft players in this weeks draft, we consistently got to the final four. Does this show how great our other players are and the coaching by Geno and his team? We didn't have one first round choice. I'd be interested in how our other boneyarders comment on this disparity. Are the current college players just that and a gap is being developed for WNBA type players??

Hopefully this is an anomaly but it is a reality that the program must come to grips with and reverse the trend. In the 2020 WNBA draft Megan Walker was the 9th player selected notably behind Herbert Harrigan of SC and Bella Allarie of Princeton. In 2022 WNBA draft and for the first time in a very long time UCONN had not only one but an entire class of highly ranked HS players prospects (CW, Evina, and ONO) fail to develop and improve in their time as UCONN players. It is staggering that there were 5 centers (Austin, Sabally, Egbo, Cunanane, & Cubaj) picked ahead of Olivia. Even more staggering that there were 7 (Howard, Hull, Burton, Burrell, Bell, Clouden, & Pointer) guards picked ahead of Christyn Williams and Evina. Keep in mind that these are "professional" basketball GMs making these decisions not a college coach deciding to hand out a scholarship or the BY sticking up for their favorite UCONN players. I also suspect these "failures to develop" will be used against UCONN in current and future recruiting battles.
@Jingo you tracking any of this? Whatever happened to "Liv being a lock for the WNBA lottery" and who becomes your least favorite player now that CW is moving on?

 

[pvdoggy]

Hopefully this is an anomaly but it is a reality that the program must come to grips with and reverse the trend. In the 2020 WNBA draft Megan Walker was the 9th player selected notably behind Herbert Harrigan of SC and Bella Allarie of Princeton. In 2022 WNBA draft and for the first time in a very long time UCONN had not only one but an entire class of highly ranked HS players prospects (CW, Evina, and ONO) fail to develop and improve in their time as UCONN players. It is staggering that there were 5 centers (Austin, Sabally, Egbo, Cunanane, & Cubaj) picked ahead of Olivia. Even more staggering that there were 7 (Howard, Hull, Burton, Burrell, Bell, Clouden, & Pointer) guards picked ahead of Christyn Williams and Evina. Keep in mind that these are "professional" basketball GMs making these decisions not a college coach deciding to hand out a scholarship or the BY sticking up for their favorite UCONN players. I also suspect these "failures to develop" will be used against UCONN in current and future recruiting battles.
@Jingo you tracking any of this? Whatever happened to "Liv being a lock for the WNBA lottery" and who becomes your least favorite player now that CW is moving on?

I wonder looking at this WNBA draft result how the players (ONO, CW, E) and their teammates felt, whether they underperform, whether the program did not fully develop them, or whether they are what they are and we had higher expectations of them than what they were. Either way, I agree that for a program that the fan base talks about being the place to go to get to the WNBA, this was a wake-up call. Of course, we all know that "professional" GMs are not beyond making dumb picks (I can't imagine that CW is worse than all 7 of those guards picked in front of her), but I still feel a bit sad for all 3 players. Does anyone remember what E said when she came to Uconn? One of her goals is to be the #1 pick of the WNBA. While that may have been a stretch but to fall that far down the draft has to hurt.

 

[oldude]

W

I wonder looking at this WNBA draft result how the players (ONO, CW, E) and their teammates felt, whether they underperform, whether the program did not fully develop them, or whether they are what they are and we had higher expectations of them than what they were. Either way, I agree that for a program that the fan base talks about being the place to go to get to the WNBA, this was a wake-up call. Of course, we all know that "professional" GMs are not beyond making dumb picks (I can't imagine that CW is worse than all 7 of those guards picked in front of her), but I still feel a bit sad for all 3 players. Does anyone remember what E said when she came to Uconn? One of her goals is to be the #1 pick of the WNBA. While that may have been a stretch but to fall that far down the draft has to hurt.

While I recognize that UConn has set an unmatched standard for players being drafted and succeeding in the W, UConn’s 3 seniors were among the top 21 players selected. Only three other college teams had more than one player drafted: Baylor (3), Louisville (2) & NC St (2).

Beyond that, I certainly don’t feel sad for Christyn, Liv & Evina. They have been exceptionally well prepared by Geno and his staff. If they work hard (A given) they all have the opportunity to fulfill their dreams of playing in the W.

 

[Jletoile]

Exactly what I said earlier. SC didn't respect that shot. They
Were able to face guard with Uconn guards and allow the bigs to float to cut off driving lanes. When UConn tried to screen the bigs showed hard enough to cancel that pullup. And allowed the guards to recover when they went over top of the screen. Paige made Cardoso pay a few times for not showing close enough to the action. If Uconn had an big that could pose an consistent scoring threat I think this game could have gone differently.

I believe the last four years could have gone differently.

 

[pvdoggy]

W

While I recognize that UConn has set an unmatched standard for players being drafted and succeeding in the W, UConn’s 3 seniors were among the top 21 players selected. Only two other college teams had more than one player drafted: Baylor (3) & Louisville (2).

Beyond that, I certainly don’t feel sad for Christyn, Liv & Evina. They have been exceptionally well prepared by Geno and his staff. If they work hard (A given) they all have the opportunity to fulfill their dreams of playing in the W.

The chance of lower picks making it in the WNBA is not very high and ince you are the wise old panda, you are probably right, but when people set goals that they clearly did not even come close to achieving, I do feel a little sad/disappointed for them, not in them. Whatever the reasons are, I have no clue.

 

[oldude]

The chance of lower picks making it in the WNBA is not very high and ince you are the wise old panda, you are probably right, but when people set goals that they clearly did not even come close to achieving, I do feel a little sad/disappointed for them, not in them. Whatever the reasons are, I have no clue.

I don’t know how many current WNBA players were drafted in the 2nd round or later, but I strongly suspect it’s several. Saniya Chong was drafted in the 3rd round, managed to play 2 years in the W and has a nice career overseas.

One thing that any WNBA GM will tell you is that draft choices from UConn are “pro-ready” as rookies. It will be interesting to see how UConn’s trio of rookies does. Hoping that all of them find a home in the W.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

I think the fan expectation is that a big will come out of the portal. I haven't seen any candidates yet. I'm also thinking that Amari is a lot more than what we saw at the end of games. Something needs to happen and it will be interesting to see what that might be.

 

[hoophuskee]

Good point but those other teams had smaller players willing to mix it up and battle SC; Uconn did not. One, I repeat one, defensive rebound between Edwards and Ono in 61 minutes of play is just utterly ridiculous; Bueckers got 6 by herself in 39, and Muhl and Westbrook combined for 6 in 35 minutes. SC got more offensive rebounds than Uconn got defensive which is rare to say the least in a game between 2 teams seemingly relatively equal in talent.
I don’t generally deal with “what ifs”, if you win, you win, if you lose you lose, but It took a tremendous performance by Bueckers completely taking over against NC State to win that game and one could argue uncharacteristically poor shooting cost Stanford that game so Uconn could have easily list either of those games; obviously they did not, but maybe Uconn was going into the NC game with a little “fools gold” mind set they could compete with SC because the reality is they could not.
And excuses of being sick and playing hurt don’t cut it for me, if you play, you play; if it affects your performance to the point of being the game deciding difference maker, a player should not be on the court. Old school……….

Yet you are making excuses for NC State and Stanford.

 

[hoophuskee]

In the SC game we were a step slow at every position. Just standing in one place under the boards would have brought you more rebounds than we collected. Hustle. Both teams played on a short turn a round. The two tough earlier games drained our tank.

In any case, it was amazing, that given placement of our top draft players in this weeks draft, we consistently got to the final four. Does this show how great our other players are and the coaching by Geno and his team? We didn't have one first round choice. I'd be interested in how our other boneyarders comment on this disparity. Are the current college players just that and a gap is being developed for WNBA type players??

It happens. Just because a player puts on a UCONN uniform they aren't assured of being super. It's why all the past talk of bashing Geno's style or the players playing without heart etc - it was well-overstated /. well-over-exaggerated.

For example the last All_American, Walker, she left after her junior year. Probably would have been chosen higher in WNBA Draft than what she was in the WNBA draft as a junior if she stayed. Probably teaming up with Paige would have made UCONN a champion (possibly I say- not saying for sure.). But with all that said, where would you put Walker vs every other 1st team All-American that UCONN has had previously? Where would you rank her? I'd rank her last vs all the other 1st teamers. And yet she has been the best player (and only All-American) after Collier and KLS and before Paige. And it's not like her soph year was that great. That doesn't make you dominant- that's for sure.

Add in that now transfers are allowed in the manner they are. And at leats for now teams get an extra year for some terrific players (while UCONN lost Walker), you are not gong to be as dominant.

 

[Littlemin]

Yet you are making excuses for NC State and Stanford.

No, I’m not, Uconn won those games fair and square.
The point I was trying to make, that obviously, at least for you and probably more people, I did not explain very well is that the Uconn / NC State and Stanford games were tight competitive games that certainly could have gone either way. Not so the SC game. IMO, Uconn was not competitive, there was no time after the 1st qtr blitz did I think Uconn had a legitimate chance to win; obviously others may disagree.

 

[Littlemin]

View attachment 75505 Uconn has all the necessary talent to win the n.c. next year. They just need to play with a little fire in their eyes and be commited.

Wasn’t that what they insisted they learned from the Arizona game?

 

[donalddoowop]

What good does it do to get a good big and not play her. I truly believe that if Brink had come to UConn she would not be as good as she is now because I doubt if she would have gotten the opportunity she got at Stanford. When they both were in high school, I read that Brink would not contribute right away in college and that DeBerry was as good as she was. Maybe that was just BY talk.

 

[BobbyJ]

What good does it do to get a good big and not play her. I truly believe that if Brink had come to UConn she would not be as good as she is now because I doubt if she would have gotten the opportunity she got at Stanford. When they both were in high school, I read that Brink would not contribute right away in college and that DeBerry was as good as she was. Maybe that was just BY talk.

To anyone who knew what they were looking at, that was just BS talk. Brink would've played at least as much as her foul situation allowed. UConn has had no one for these two seasons with her combination of size and quickness at either end.

 

[Jmsdawg]

I have looked at maybe half the kids in the portal. I don't see a quality big that would help us. Maybe she is in the other half. Do you know of one?

She not a post but she is a rebound machine, Blackwell!

 

[LoboDays]

We just need to get used to the fact that talent in this sport is growing and will be widely spread. No senior on UCONN was a 1st round pick. Some years , we will have a 1st round pick. Some years, we won’t.

When it comes to the bigs, I neither blame the coach for not developing them or the players for any lack of interest or effort. Some evolve to be dominant post players who can score while being tightly guarded and fighters who refuse to be out rebounded. Some don’t.

Anything is possible but it’s likely that we won’t find a big who meets the above qualification in the portal. Might be better to look for forwards who can bang the boards and, as a group, can control the paint against the bigger, stronger teams.

We don’t need a super star. We just need a big who the defense needs to take seriously when they are in the paint. And, I would think about changing the offensive scheme that has both our bigs out by the 3 point line setting screens. The reason SC stuffed our guards was because they had nowhere to go because their bigs were able to follow ours out there and help clog things up. Things would have opened up for our guards if our post players actually played the post.

 

[Charliebball]

Never mind the other two who were indeed excellent, but as an example: Gabby Williams, a guard playing the high post often decimated the Wilson-led team full of WNBA players, on offense even though she was hesitant to shoot from three. How? With her passing and split-second coordination with her teammates....

[On defense? We know what happened to Ms. Wilson and Ms Coates when defended by that guard.....]

Like you, I haven't decided to become an advocate of the Devil.....but who knows? I have often thought that it is easy for the opposing team to claim credit when players manning a position - in this case, the UConn high post in a low post/high post offensive scheme - stops themselves (intentionally or otherwise).

unfortunately Gabby Williams is one of a kind..........very few players have her athleticism, skill set and intensity.........if she had the outside game she has now when she was at UConn they'd likely have earned another championship...........that said a certain Ms. Patterson seems to have some of these same attributes in an even bigger package.....is it possible she turns into a Gabby or Nalyssa Smith like player?........we can only hope........

 

[Jingo]

Hopefully this is an anomaly but it is a reality that the program must come to grips with and reverse the trend. In the 2020 WNBA draft Megan Walker was the 9th player selected notably behind Herbert Harrigan of SC and Bella Allarie of Princeton. In 2022 WNBA draft and for the first time in a very long time UCONN had not only one but an entire class of highly ranked HS players prospects (CW, Evina, and ONO) fail to develop and improve in their time as UCONN players. It is staggering that there were 5 centers (Austin, Sabally, Egbo, Cunanane, & Cubaj) picked ahead of Olivia. Even more staggering that there were 7 (Howard, Hull, Burton, Burrell, Bell, Clouden, & Pointer) guards picked ahead of Christyn Williams and Evina. Keep in mind that these are "professional" basketball GMs making these decisions not a college coach deciding to hand out a scholarship or the BY sticking up for their favorite UCONN players. I also suspect these "failures to develop" will be used against UCONN in current and future recruiting battles.
@Jingo you tracking any of this? Whatever happened to "Liv being a lock for the WNBA lottery" and who becomes your least favorite player now that CW is moving on?

Let's see what happens in training camp and during the WNBA season. Liv will do her 'Crystal' thing I have no doubt, eh? Liv is by far the best rebounder, shot-blocker and defensive player of the five [NOT!] centers that you mentioned. Those astute GMs were waaay wrong about Crystal; they're wrong about Liv too!

 

[LoboDays]

I hope all 3 of our players are successful in the pros but I think Liv has a tough road ahead. She will be up against the best bigs. She had two rebounds against SC and every pro team has quality bigs. She also provides little scoring. Maybe she shows things she didn’t during her college career. If she doesn’t, I’m not optimistic about a pro career. At least, not in this country.

 

[AmeriConn]

There is no question that SC has 3 excellent players that can play the post. As Dawn Staley said in an interview: we do not worry about making the first shot because we know that we are going to get the offensive rebound and either make that shot or get fouled.

If UConn is going to contend against SC, they are going to need 3 big "Bulls" to push and shove against those 3 excellent post players on SC. The portal at this point is the place to look for some of them with experience. And, they should act quickly before Dawn adds them to her team.

I totally agree, but are those players currently available in the portal?

 

[Pharos]

As a fan base we continue to underestimate Boston's impact on the defensive end of the floor. Time to come to grips that we are not going to beat her with gimmicks. As a freshman there was the though that UCONN should out run her because she was poorly conditioned. As a sophomore there was a though that we could drive right at her and get her in foul trouble. Now we are suggesting drawing her away from the basket. Boston is the National DPOY and deservedly so. Boston's ability to help on the perimeter, recover, block shots, BBIQ, and reflexes are all elite. What is most elite in her tool bag are the reflexes. Boston reaction to the ball and the game situation are Dennis Rodman like. My point is you may be able to fool a player like that for a play or two but you better have a plan B. UCONN hitting some more mid or long range jump shots will certainly help-then what?

the UConn guards will learn how to get fouled more. their quickness toward the basket and finding open shooters will help that, too. players setting picks will better trust drivers to cut past them closely enough; so they'll get fewer moving pick fouls. As drivers cut past and dribble past picks, some fouls should happen. Paige and Azzi need to get to the line.

 

[darkstar1]

I hear allot about our weak post play which is true. We need some toughness in the post ! But the main thing that hurt us was our guard play besides Beckers. We just didn't score at all. Paige is just so tough! If we get some 3 pt. scoring from our guards things would of been different. I realize some of our players were sick or hurt. We just had no luck this year. Hope they stay healthy and heal till next season. They are a terrific group of girls.

This comment expresses my thought too. Despite the rebounding disparity, if outside shots fall, I believe UConn wins. Giving the inside game edge to SC was obvious. But I thought UConn’s guard edge would be the deciding factor. It was not so n this game. SC’s guards scored and ours didn’t. That was the game. If they played another game, perhaps a different result. I Azzi and others healthy, perhaps a different result. I think next year’s Huskies will be a better team than this years. Add health, and I like our chances for a NC next year, even with no portal additions.

 

[LoboDays]

if outside shots fall, I believe UConn wins.

If all outside shots fall, Butler is the National Champion. The reason the shots didn’t fall was because of SC’s tight D. The reason for the tight D on our guards was because of the lack on need to tightly guard our bigs. This must change or the top teams will continue to make it very difficult for our guards.

 

[Notyetready]

Let's see what happens in training camp and during the WNBA season. Liv will do her 'Crystal' thing I have no doubt, eh? Liv is by far the best rebounder, shot-blocker and defensive player of the five [NOT!] centers that you mentioned. Those astute GMs were waaay wrong about Crystal; they're wrong about Liv too!

Sparks coach Fisher said he wants to look at Liv because of her size, length, passing and shot-blocking. He did not say anything about her scoring. They do have rebounding bigs now but they don't pass well. Liv's groin injury will be key to her immediate success. Fisher knows that she, like all UConn grads, is NBA ready. He said he was surprised and excited that she was available to him at the 19th spot in the draft. Go Liv.

 

[Zarathustra]

Dominant Forecourt? How about Latasha Lattimore 6'4" ,former teammate of
Ms. Edwards at Cresswood Prep in Ontario , Canada. Now in the portal from the U. of
Texas. Ms. Lattimore is one year behind Aaliyah. Worth a look. for insurance??

 

[Dognusty]

When you sayv post scoring, you mean from the high post right?

Yes

 

[darkstar1]

If all outside shots fall, Butler is the National Champion. The reason the shots didn’t fall was because of SC’s tight D. The reason for the tight D on our guards was because of the lack on need to tightly guard our bigs. This must change or the top teams will continue to make it very difficult for our guards.

Gotta wonder if we watched the same game. What I saw was that SCs defense was great and they controlled the boards. I expected that. What I also saw was that SCs guards made shots early that put them ahead. I didn’t expect that. Also that we had shots and missed them. I didn’t expect that. Two very good teams. UConn’s shots didn’t fall. Game. Next year I think the Huskies will be stronger…and hopefully healthy.