Azura Stevens Leaving

[bbballfan23]

I'm not sure how it could have changed recruiting. They recruited Charli Collier and she committed and then changed her mind to stay closer to home. They recruited Prince but she wanted to stay home. They recruited ONO and she's coming. They recruited Ezi and she decided to stay in Australia (it was a close call). I'm not sure what they would have or could have done differently for the class of 2018.

It’s different when you have 30 more minutes per game of playing time up for grabs. These girls are competitors & want to play right away.

 

[oldude]

I’m going to look at this as a “glass half full” situation. The 3 returning starters are as good as any 3 players on any other team in the country. Great opportunity for Megan, BatCam & hopefully Mikayla to become major contributors next year. Also, fully expect CW & ONO to be given every opportunity to develop quickly and contribute as freshmen.

I fully expect the Huskies to take a loss or two next season, particularly with tough OOC road games at Baylor, ND & Louisville. But come tournament time, UConn will be a very dangerous team.

 

[Charliebball]

Does Geno even consider starting TWO freshmen next year??

Now that's funny..............

 

[MilfordHusky]

This is feeling like 2010-11 all over again.

 

[Longtime fan]

A little surprised. Z's game would have benefited from another year. It think she'd have had a special year.

That said, I wish her all the best.

Who is our center next year?

Maybe Molly Bent can play center. We are unprepared and screwed. Only the freshman can fill that spot. Maybe Batouly, but I am not even sure she can play at all.

 

[UConnCat]

It’s different when you have 30 more minutes per game of playing time up for grabs. These girls are competitors & want to play right away.

I understand your point but it doesn't seem that playing time was a factor for these kids. Do you think CCollier's decision was about Z taking minutes away? I don't.

 

[Vancat]

Didn't see that coming

 

[j66kicker]

So who is our post player next year? Kyla? If I'm Geno I go all in on ONO from day one. If next year is going to be a rebuilding year of sorts (by UConn standards of course), then let's get something out of it.

Rebuilding?? Whaa??? The heck with rebuilding. We don't "rebuild." Just gotta figure out how to get it done, that's all! (We DO have assets.)

 

[Topsail]

Lou will need to have a big POY season

 

[HoopsFan21]

I fear she’ll regret this. Quite frankly, she wasn’t even starter material for us this year. She was able to impact a few games, but that impact was both for and against us. Wish her well anyway.

My disappointment comes from the fact that I fully expected her to return and with a year of actually playing games in the UConn system plus another summer of workouts, she was poised to have a monster final year. I also feel a little betrayed, and I suspect the coaching staff does as well.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Now that's funny....

Who is our front court in your estimation? Pheesa, Lou, and ______.

 

[VAMike23]

:::::: scrambling to go watch a lot more film on ONO :::::::::::::::::

Crossing my fingers that ONO will give us quality minutes by tournament time next year. She has a lot of tools, but still raw. This may be a year somewhat like Stef's freshman year. Not identical, but similarities. Kyla and 'Touly are there as well, but ONO will be the wild card come next spring.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Lou will need to have a big POY season

I think Lou and Pheesa may go back over 20 ppg next year.

 

[Charliebball]

Oh he'd consider it, the question is whether they'd be ready to contribute.

Right now it looks like:

Crystal
Lou
Pheesa
Megan
Batouly

how would you know if they are ready to contribute............they barely played...........next year's freshmen are sure going to play whether he likes it or not.............shame it had to come to that

 

[VivaLsVgs]

Well....this sucks. Every year after the season ends (with a championship or not) I always log on to the Boneyard with bated breath afraid of what I might see. I wish we could get through an off season without the news of someone leaving.

 

[bballnut90]

Not surprised. We had this discussion last summer and while many expressed the view that Geno had a two-year "commitment" from Z, I thought H.L. Menken's line, "When they tell you it's not about money, it's about money" would prevail. I'm sorry to have gotten this one right.

The Menken observation and my prediction, aside, you guys know way more about this than I do so does this mean CW is a near-lock to start as a freshman? Can a front line of Pheesa, Lou and Walker get enough rebounds? Is it possible that ONO starts?

Time for you astute, long-time UConn women's basketball observers to make some assessments.

UCONN will be fine for the most part. The only teams that look really imposing now are Baylor and Notre Dame, since both have an outstanding post combination with a great passer from the high post (Cox/Shepard). Jessica Shepard in particular looks like a nightmare now for the Huskies. If Mississippi State plays UCONN, I really don't see how anyone on UCONN's roster has a prayer against McCowan, but on the flipside, no one else for Mississippi State is dangerous.

UCONN has managed fine with smaller lineups in the past, the key is they need other players to emerge as strong rebounders even if they aren't tall. Rebounding is mostly about positioning, effort, and being able to recognize where the ball is going to go. I'd look for Walker to fill this void if she can get out of Geno's dog house. She's a good rebounder and has size and athleticism. Collier is a strong rebounder too and has long arms which helps. Past players who've excelled as undersized rebounders include Faris, Gabby Williams, DT, Barbara Turner, Kalana Greene, etc.

UCONN does have ONO inside, too. From what I've seen, she does look a bit more raw, but her upside is huge. It's likely going to take her a little bit to adjust to the college game, but I think by the end of the year she could be very good.

What you lose in Stevens is a reliable scoring presence inside and a good passing post player. The passing aspect is huge. Stevens averaged almost 2 assists per game as a 6-6 center playing just 20 minutes a night. Losing that, plus Gabby's 5 assists per game hurts big time IMO. Walker/ONO/Camara are likely not going to be as good at finding open teammates (and keeping turnovers low) as Azura. I think this will be Geno's most challenging season since maybe 2011-12 when they lost Moore, but UCONN will still be a heavy Final Four favorite and should be the #2 preseason team in the country.

 

[Charliebball]

Also, if you had told me at the start of the year that Z would leave, I would have given Megan a lot more run than someone that was just using the program for a year to get to the next level. I'm actually kinda pissed about this.

I've been preaching about the need to develop the bench from day one but you all said leave it to Geno................well like it or not, Walker, Coombs and the two freshmen are seeing the court next year unless there's more news to come.......

 

[Bill In Georgia]

Z may be in trouble and get left-overs if the 6'7" gal from MS decides to leave early....we wish her all the best, could of used another year of solid development, but if push comes to pull she could go "Off-Shore"....
This is going to be an exciting year for Geno...

 

[Irishfan]

yikes, time for a grad transfer- ONO needs time to develop

It doesn’t need to be a grad transfer. Often the NCAA will allow a transfer to play without sitting out a year. As long as the transfer is for personal reasons.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

So who is our post player next year? Kyla? If I'm Geno I go all in on ONO from day one. If next year is going to be a rebuilding year of sorts (by UConn standards of course), then let's get something out of it.

You think 2018 will be a rebuilding year wait until you see 2019.

 

[Charliebball]

Who is our front court in your estimation? Pheesa, Lou, and ______.

based on Geno's strange rotation last year.................... Kyla Irwin.......

 

[bbballfan23]

UCONN will be fine for the most part. The only teams that look really imposing now are Baylor and Notre Dame, since both have an outstanding post combination with a great passer from the high post (Cox/Shepard). Jessica Shepard in particular looks like a nightmare now for the Huskies. If Mississippi State plays UCONN, I really don't see how anyone on UCONN's roster has a prayer against McCowan, but on the flipside, no one else for Mississippi State is dangerous.

UCONN has managed fine with smaller lineups in the past, the key is they need other players to emerge as strong rebounders even if they aren't tall. Rebounding is mostly about positioning, effort, and being able to recognize where the ball is going to go. I'd look for Walker to fill this void if she can get out of Geno's dog house. She's a good rebounder and has size and athleticism. Collier is a strong rebounder too and has long arms which helps. Past players who've excelled as undersized rebounders include Faris, Gabby Williams, DT, Barbara Turner, Kalana Greene, etc.

UCONN does have ONO inside, too. From what I've seen, she does look a bit more raw, but her upside is huge. It's likely going to take her a little bit to adjust to the college game, but I think by the end of the year she could be very good.

What you lose in Stevens is a reliable scoring presence inside and a good passing post player. The passing aspect is huge. Stevens averaged almost 2 assists per game as a 6-6 center playing just 20 minutes a night. Losing that, plus Gabby's 5 assists per game hurts big time IMO. Walker/ONO/Camara are likely not going to be as good at finding open teammates (and keeping turnovers low) as Azura. I think this will be Geno's most challenging season since maybe 2011-12 when they lost Moore, but UCONN will still be a heavy Final Four favorite and should be the #2 preseason team in the country.

Don’t let stats deceive you. Those 2 assist per game were bc she was playing along 3 AA’s. She was the worst passer on our roster. Quite honestly, the offense became stagnant with her in.

 

[MilfordHusky]

At least Crystal has a sense of humor:

"I was talking to CD (associate head coach Chris Dailey) the other day. Olivia runs the floor hard. She has a motor that's different than most high school kids. Now that I know what a motor is supposed to look like, she has a good one."

 

[oldude]

It doesn’t need to be a grad transfer. Often the NCAA will allow a transfer to play without sitting out a year. As long as the transfer is for personal reasons.

 

[ASweet3781]

Congratulations to the 2019 National Champions Notre Dame.