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

[sun]

We did beat NC State and Stanford - and even without Dorka. You make it sound like at the end of the seaoson that there were quite a few teams better than UCONN last year.

There was only one.

And I hate to burst anyone's "negative" bubble - but just a FYI to some fans: UCONN is going to be a top 3 team this upcoming year barring key injuries.

My post was about next season, and we're losing 3 of this year's seniors plus 1 bench big.

 

[hoophuskee]

My post was about next season, and we're losing 3 of this year's seniors plus 1 bench big.

But why wouldn't you think we wouldn't beat other top teams right now (if season started)? We are "that" powerhouse team (top 3).

 

[reelfan]

Does it seem that if there was a transfer prospect Geno was interested in we would have heard by now.

 

[CocoHusky]

We did beat NC State and Stanford - and even without Dorka. You make it sound like at the end of the seaoson that there were quite a few teams better than UCONN last year.
There was only one.
And I hate to burst anyone's "negative" bubble - but just a FYI to some fans: UCONN is going to be a top 3 team this upcoming year barring key injuries.

Is that were we want to be as a program though? Sorry I just can't cosign being 2nd best team in the country and being ranked in the top three next season.

 

[hoophuskee]

Is that were we want to be as a program though? Sorry I just can't cosign being 2nd best team in the country and being ranked in the top three next season.

But because you have unreasonable expectations that means the team didn't have a great year and being top 3 isn't terrific?

It's fine that you aren't going to co-sign but imo it doesn't make you right. It makes you unreasonable.

 

[CocoHusky]

But because you have unreasonable expectations that means the team didn't have a great year and being top 3 isn't terrific?
It's fine that you aren't going to co-sign but imo it doesn't make you right. It makes you unreasonable.

I don't thing it makes me unreasonable- I just happen have higher standards than you.

 

[BB Dawg]

The point is if Boston got injured it would not be the same team….you are forgetting we beat them the year before….the difference in the Championship game was that their guards got off to a fast start….the rest of the game was evenly played….yes they are better but they are not unbeatable….let us visit this next year….yes injuries are intangibles for you do not know what happens from one day to another….ie….the way Paige got injured.

I totally agree. As well, Allyah & Liv were very tentative in the Finals rebounding. I feel because Dorka was out and the coaching staff were most likely preaching not to foul that they did not play their aggressive game while rebounding.

 

[hoophuskee]

I don't thing it makes me unreasonable- I just happen have higher standards than you.

No it makes you unreasonable. Like someone who has set their standards to never lose a basketball game, ever for 10 years that would be an unreasonable expectation just as your expectations are.

 

[Charliebball]

Is that were we want to be as a program though? Sorry I just can't cosign being 2nd best team in the country and being ranked in the top three next season.

I don't care what they're ranked before or during the season...........the trick is to reach the NC finals again and hope that the team plays a great game for a change against SC or whoever else is the opponent......when you have a healthy Bueckers and Fudd in the back court along with the other complimentary players, UConn has enough talent to beat anybody if they are really on their game.....

 

[oldude]

My post was about next season, and we're losing 3 of this year's seniors plus 1 bench big.

Name me one top team that isn’t losing players to graduation or transfer? With what UConn has coming back and coming in, UConn is a top 2 team in the country next season.

 

[Stymie]

I don't care what they're ranked before or during the season...........the trick is to reach the NC finals again and hope that the team plays a great game for a change against SC or whoever else is the opponent......when you have a healthy Bueckers and Fudd in the back court along with the other complimentary players, UConn has enough talent to beat anybody if they are really on their game.....

So sorry.
You get beat up on the boards 49-25
YOU DO NOT WIN.
No way-no how.

 

[Charliebball]

So sorry.
You get beat up on the boards 49-25
YOU DO NOT WIN.
No way-no how.

if your team shoots 50% plus from the field you don't need to worry as much about rebounding differentials........it's going to take one of those great shooting games to get it done but they can do it........SC is a flawed team offensively.......they can be beaten whether you choose to believe it or not..........

 

[Alydar]

if your team shoots 50% plus from the field you don't need to worry as much about rebounding differentials........it's going to take one of those great shooting games to get it done but they can do it........SC is a flawed team offensively.......they can be beaten whether you choose to believe it or not..........

I guess that by New Years there will be 1000 posts with 49-25 in them.

 

[JoePgh]

if your team shoots 50% plus from the field you don't need to worry as much about rebounding differentials........it's going to take one of those great shooting games to get it done but they can do it........SC is a flawed team offensively.......they can be beaten whether you choose to believe it or not..........

A high shooting percentage is no help if you can't clear your defensive boards, and you therefore allow South Carolina to get second and third chances on a lot of their possessions.

Having said that, I think UConn should be able to rebound adequately against South Carolina, as they did against Stanford and Tennessee (both reputedly big and skilled rebounding teams). I expect Dorka to be as effective on the defensive boards as Liv was (which for most of the season was quite good, including against Stanford), and I look for a Big Leap Forward from Aaliyah Edwards next year. I think the freshmen will provide reasonable backup if Dorka or AE get into foul trouble, certainly more than Amari and Piath did in the season just concluded.

 

[Stymie]

Well..., I guess we can hang our hats on the 1978 Villanova-Georgetown game.
(Mens)
UCONN can hit 78% from the field and eek out a 2 point win?
Ain’t gonna happen.
Shooting % certainly matters, but the game is won or lost under the boards.
Especially offensive- 2nd chances.

 

[Charliebball]

Well..., I guess we can hang our hats on the 1978 Villanova-Georgetown game.
(Mens)
UCONN can hit 78% from the field and eek out a 2 point win?
Ain’t gonna happen.
Shooting % certainly matters, but the game is won or lost under the boards.
Especially offensive- 2nd chances.

well you better tell that to Missouri who were outrebounded by ten and Kentucky who were outrebounded by twelve yet still managed to beat South Carolina.........are either of those teams as good as UConn?

 

[Alydar]

Well..., I guess we can hang our hats on the 1978 Villanova-Georgetown game.
(Mens)
UCONN can hit 78% from the field and eek out a 2 point win?
Ain’t gonna happen.
Shooting % certainly matters, but the game is won or lost under the boards.
Especially offensive- 2nd chances.

Thanks. Up till now I thought it was who scored the most.

 

[oldude]

If he claimed DeBerry wasn't good enough to play garbage minutes last year now all of the sudden she is going to be ready to start and help this team win a national championship? Give me a break. He either made a mistake not playing her last year which i believe happened either way we need another strong post player. Hope he doesn't think we have enough without bringing in a couple of players. A post and a defensive guard. I haven't heard much about Uconn recruiting in the portal.

Geno never said anything of the sort. What he did say is that Amari is one of the most skilled Bigs he’s had at UConn, but she gets down on herself. Everyone seems to forget that her senior season in HS was canceled. She basically played no basketball for 2years. The fact that Amari is staying on campus this summer to get stronger, fitter and work on her game is great.

As far as the portal is concerned, if Geno can get a player or 2 that makes the team better, he will. But with 1,129 players currently listed in the portal, there’s only a handful who are worth pursuing imo, and everyone else is also after them.

 

[CocoHusky]

No it makes you unreasonable. Like someone who has set their standards to never lose a basketball game, ever for 10 years that would be an unreasonable expectation just as your expectations are.

My expectations are below!

 

[hoophuskee]

My expectations are below!

And if you are top 3 preseason you have a very good chance. There is rarely ever 100% assurances to start the season of being a champion. Rare - extremely rare. But next year UCONN is in the mix. How can that be bad in any manner?

 

[CocoHusky]

And if you are top 3 preseason you have a very good chance. There is rarely ever 100% assurances to start the season of being a champion. Rare - extremely rare. But next year UCONN is in the mix. How can that be bad in any manner?

It would be bad in fact horrible if the program is only striving to be a top 3 team in the country next season. But since I'm positive the team doesn't have the same lowly expectations as you do-we are all good over here!

 

[hoophuskee]

It would be bad in fact horrible if the program is only striving to be a top 3 team in the country next season. But since I'm positive the team doesn't have the same lowly expectations as you do-we are all good over here!

I'm positive that the team doesn't have as unreasonable expectations as you. Not one coach or player will be whining if they aren't number 1 preseason.

The horror of getting to the finals. The horror.

We hear all the time that when seeds for NCAA come out - that teams in the 1 seed bracket don't whine like you are with preseason.

 

[CocoHusky]

I'm positive that the team doesn't have as unreasonable expectations as you. Not one coach or player will be whining if they aren't number 1 preseason.
The horror of getting to the finals. The horror.
We hear all the time that when seeds for NCAA come out - that teams in the 1 seed bracket don't whine like you are with preseason.

The only whine you are hearing is the gears grinding from you lower the expectations while expecting others to follow you.
Unlike you the team does care where they are ranked in preseason nor are they satisfied with just making it to the championship game.


And clearly yours are too low!

 

[hoophuskee]

The only whine you are hearing is the gears grinding from you lower the expectations while expecting others to follow you.
Unlike you the team does care where they are ranked in preseason nor are they satisfied with just making it to the championship game.


And clearly yours are too low! View attachment 75873

Everything you are saying is made up as I've stated as an "unreasonable" fan. Your expectations are out of touch with reality. How many quotes do you think you can find from UCONN Huskies whining like you are that they were only a number 1 seed NCAA Tourney seed but not the number 1 overall?

 

[CocoHusky]

Everything you are saying is made up as I've stated as an "unreasonable" fan. Your expectations are out of touch with reality. How many quotes do you think you can find from UCONN Huskies whining like you are that they were only a number 1 seed NCAA Tourney seed but not the number 1 overall?

You want me to do research to prop up your silly strawman? Once last time: I'm not lowering my standards and expectations for UCONN WBB. The fact that you have already done that ( lower the standards) further convinces me that I'm on the right track.
Did you really think you calling me unreasonable was going to change anything?

 

[FormerCTrez]

SC will have a new point guard and that may be the weakness for them. Henderson was very good at controlling the pace and the team. She was a senior and did the job that Harris did before her. We have to disrupt the new point guard. It could be Cooke or maybe Amihere would played it when Henderson was out early in the year.

Henderson’s graduation may put South Carolina a half step slower, and the new point guard may be shaky at the beginning. But I’m certain that Dawn Staley will make sure her team is ready to repeat as champions next season. It may be point guard duty by committee, but they’ll be ready.

 

[hoophuskee]

You want me to do research to prop up your silly strawman? Once last time: I'm not lowering my standards and expectations for UCONN WBB. The fact that you have already done that ( lower the standards) further convinces me that I'm on the right track.
Did you really think you calling me unreasonable was going to change anything?



View attachment 75879

You're making things up - and I am "the Strawman?" Hilarious.

You're not living in reality. And I'm done with you for this thread. You're expectations are that of an unreasonable lunacy fan. They can never achieve - no team can -your continual unreasonable fandom.

 

[Jingo]

The training camp rosters have been announced and Liv faces an uphill climb to even make the Sparks squad.
At the center position Liz Cambage is going to be the Sparks starter.
Behind Cambage the Sparks will have 3 centers in camp that were drafted higher than Liv.
Amanda Zahui B was the #2 player drafted in 2015.
Lauren Cox was the # 3 player drafted in 2020.
Chiney Ogwumike. was the overall #1 pick in 2014 WNBA draft.
I suppose you are going to tell me Liv is a better rebounder than all 4 of these centers and that the WNBA GM's was wrong about them also eh?

Sparks Announce 2022 Training Camp Roster

LOS ANGELES (April 15, 2021) – The Los Angeles Sparks, led by General Manager/Head Coach Derek Fisher, open training camp on April 17 at UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo before moving to Jump Beyond Sports in Torrance for the duration of the 2022 WNBA Season. The Sparks 20-woman...

sparks.wnba.com

Yes the GMs were obviously wrong about Liv as I told you .. In her 1st pre-season game Liv had an incredible game with 15 points, 12 rebounds, 5 Assists, 2 blocked shots and 1 steal in 35 minutes .. she should have been a high 1st round pick if the GMs were doing their jobs, eh?

 

[GardenState]

Oregon State's 3rd year sophomore & 2nd leading scorer 6'4" Taylor Jones was All-PAC 12 and a leading shot blocker, ended up having shoulder surgery in Feb. due to injury.
She's in the transfer portal.
She was a 5 star recruit ranked as high as #16 coming out of her Texas high school.

Taylor Jones - Women's Basketball - Oregon State University Athletics

Taylor Jones (44) Forward - SOPHOMORE (2021-22): Preseason All-Pac-12 Selection Averaged 12.4 points andn6.9 rebounds per game Shot 64.9 percent from the flo...

osubeavers.com

Jones to Miss Remainder of Season Following Shoulder Surgery - Oregon State University Athletics

Jones is expected to make full recovery prior to the beginning of practice for 2022-23

osubeavers.com

Any insights as to where Oregon State’s 6’4” Taylor Jones (Texas native) or her 6’6” transfer portal teammate Kennedy Brown (Kansas native) might be looking?

 

[CocoHusky]

Yes the GMs were obviously wrong about Liv as I told you .. In her 1st pre-season game Liv had an incredible game with 15 points, 12 rebounds, 5 Assists, 2 blocked shots and 1 steal in 35 minutes .. she should have been a high 1st round pick if the GMs were doing their jobs, eh?

Way to bury the headline @Jingo. Let's try this again: Preseason Game in which Neka played 6 minutes, Chinney did not play, Cox, Cambage, Amanda Zahui B did not play the Sparks lost by 13, Liv Plays for 35 Minutes and the proves that the GM was wrong?