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

[Tonyc]

No, I have a number of answers:

1. Get Aubrey & Dorka healthy
2. Recruit several big, strong frontcourt players, (i.e. Ice & Ayanna)
3. Develop our 6’5” freshman post. (Note that Amari is spending the summer on campus working to get fitter & stronger and improve her game)

You’ve been beating this dead horse for several weeks now. So what exactly is your answer? And don’t say, “Hit the portal for a transfer.” Tell me which transfer and why she’s the difference vs SC.

Agree with you oldude. The portal is not in may cases the answer. For many not all the kids in portal, if they dont play for the team theyre on they most likely wont play for UConn. A fifth year senior may be the answer but many are not. My first question is why are they in the portal? Is it just for playtime? For many yes. It could also be for attitude, not up to speed yet. Alot of reasons. Geno has many top kids who he hand picks. They have to qualify if you will to play for UConn. They have to have the goodies to play for UConn. Think about this....if you bring in another player how does that affect the player who paid their dues waiting for playtime. Most likely they will leave and then what? How will that affect other players on the team. Saylor and Mir left for more playtime. They saw what they thought was the writing on the wall with the players ahead of them and those coming in. IMO that may have been premature but they did what they thought was best for them. Top players go to a school to play not sit. If your good and not playing you can transfer and get the school you like if not then your just sitting in the portal and most likely going to a lesser school to play.

Boston is a big big. There arent more the one of two out there and they dont have her skills. My question is why did Boston attend so many UConn games and then go to SC????? Why did Cardoso say she wanted to play for UConn and then go to SC??? Why did Toomey who loved Stewie and UConn go to UNC???? That was a shocker and many are still in disbelief. I dont want to hear its Geno or his recruiting either. UConn and Geno have nothing to prove. Their results are proof. Just something to think about.

 

[visitingcock]

Agree with you oldude. . . .

Boston is a big big. There arent more the one of two out there and they dont have her skills. My question is why did Boston attend so many UConn games and then go to SC????? Why did Cardoso say she wanted to play for UConn and then go to SC??? Why did Toomey who loved Stewie and UConn go to UNC???? That was a shocker and many are still in disbelief. I dont want to hear its Geno or his recruiting either. UConn and Geno have nothing to prove. Their results are proof. Just something to think about.

I don't think there is any evidence to support that she ever said that - to my knowledge. World Exposure Report predicted her to UConn or Auburn - but they defy the twice a day clock adage in their portal predictions.

 

[BobbyJ]

Agree with you oldude. The portal is not in may cases the answer. For many not all the kids in portal, if they dont play for the team theyre on they most likely wont play for UConn. A fifth year senior may be the answer but many are not. My first question is why are they in the portal? Is it just for playtime? For many yes. It could also be for attitude, not up to speed yet. Alot of reasons. Geno has many top kids who he hand picks. They have to qualify if you will to play for UConn. They have to have the goodies to play for UConn. Think about this....if you bring in another player how does that affect the player who paid their dues waiting for playtime. Most likely they will leave and then what? How will that affect other players on the team. Saylor and Mir left for more playtime. They saw what they thought was the writing on the wall with the players ahead of them and those coming in. IMO that may have been premature but they did what they thought was best for them. Top players go to a school to play not sit. If your good and not playing you can transfer and get the school you like if not then your just sitting in the portal and most likely going to a lesser school to play.

Boston is a big big. There arent more the one of two out there and they dont have her skills. My question is why did Boston attend so many UConn games and then go to SC????? Why did Cardoso say she wanted to play for UConn and then go to SC??? Why did Toomey who loved Stewie and UConn go to UNC???? That was a shocker and many are still in disbelief. I dont want to hear its Geno or his recruiting either. UConn and Geno have nothing to prove. Their results are proof. Just something to think about.

Do you have a link to where Cardoso ever said she wanted to play at UConn? And when did Toomey ever say she loved UConn? Stewart may have been her favorite player but how did that escalate to loving UConn?

 

[Charliebball]

Do you have a link to where Cardoso ever said she wanted to play at UConn? And when did Toomey ever say she loved UConn? Stewart may have been her favorite player but how did that escalate to loving UConn?

every great recruit loves UConn...... didn't you know?........

 

[Fossil]

Agree with you oldude. The portal is not in may cases the answer. For many not all the kids in portal, if they dont play for the team theyre on they most likely wont play for UConn. A fifth year senior may be the answer but many are not. My first question is why are they in the portal? Is it just for playtime? For many yes. It could also be for attitude, not up to speed yet. Alot of reasons. Geno has many top kids who he hand picks. They have to qualify if you will to play for UConn. They have to have the goodies to play for UConn. Think about this....if you bring in another player how does that affect the player who paid their dues waiting for playtime. Most likely they will leave and then what? How will that affect other players on the team. Saylor and Mir left for more playtime. They saw what they thought was the writing on the wall with the players ahead of them and those coming in. IMO that may have been premature but they did what they thought was best for them. Top players go to a school to play not sit. If your good and not playing you can transfer and get the school you like if not then your just sitting in the portal and most likely going to a lesser school to play.

Boston is a big big. There arent more the one of two out there and they dont have her skills. My question is why did Boston attend so many UConn games and then go to SC????? Why did Cardoso say she wanted to play for UConn and then go to SC??? Why did Toomey who loved Stewie and UConn go to UNC???? That was a shocker and many are still in disbelief. I dont want to hear its Geno or his recruiting either. UConn and Geno have nothing to prove. Their results are proof. Just something to think about.

I give up I don’t know what to think about. It couldn’t be playing time because Boston would’ve beaten out whoever we had and Cardoza would have come in before they got Dorka. Maybe Toomey was thinking about that with this year’s recruits and Caroline sitting at the 3/4 but the other two would’ve had time. Is it the school is it the climate is it the intensity of the program.Are you getting at something that a Connecticut alumni only knows about. I am at a loss at what you are alluding to. A little Clarity please

 

[Fossil]

The explanation is profoundly simple: For each positional matchup the South Carolina player was either taller and or quicker than the UCONN player and UCONN merely boxing out was not sufficient.

Details:
Aaliyah Boston was much quicker than a compromised ONO
Henderson was quicker than a not completely healed Paige
Cooke is/was quicker than Azzi Fudd
Brea Beal is/was quicker than Christyn Williams
Victoria Saxton is/was quicker than AE.

When South Carolina went to the bench:
Cardoso was matched up with Evina Westbrook and giving away 7 inches of height in the process resulting in Evina being nicked up in this game.
LeLe Grissette and Leticia Amihere are both taller and quicker than Caroline Ducharme.
Saniya Rivers and Bree Hall are both taller and quicker than Nika.

To South Carolina's credit and UCONN's detriment SC was not satisfied with winning the individual defensive matchups. SC doubled down and compounded their advantage with decisive switching on the perimeter. Think about this for a second: South Carolina block 4 shots during this game. 3 of the 4 blocked shots were off perimeter switches and came from three different players ( Boston, Beal, Saxton). This was really a defensive masterclass and this is what UCONN used to do to other teams.

Not only was South Carolina quicker but their post players were definitely stronger. Olivia had the injury problem and Saxton is pretty much a beast. If you watch the free throws that Carolina takes you can see how often our Bigs got pushed under the basket allowing Carolina the rebound. I do think Dorka would have helped on that front but I don’t believe it would’ve provided a win. Which is why I’ve been on my soapbox campaigning for a bigger bodied defensive minded post who doesn’t mind banging down low. The problem is who is that post idk.