Better Next Year? Really?

[MilfordHusky]

They will certainly be deeper next year. It's not easy to replace the leading 3 point shooter in womens ncaa history, but the rotation may be longer then we have seen in a while.

Absolutely true, but who better to ease that loss than the player who matched or broke Kaleena's high school records?

 

[MilfordHusky]

I do not think Lou will 'replace' Kaleena in next years team - not the senior Kaleena. But I do think she will provide the same weapon that KML did as a freshman and sophomore before the coaches and KML worked on the expansion of her game..

Exactly. I don't think anyone should expect that Lou will replace the senior and All-American KML. But she may be close to the equal of freshman KML. That would be fabulous.

 

[Waquoit]

Exactly. I don't think anyone should expect that Lou will replace the senior and All-American KML. But she may be close to the equal of freshman KML. That would be fabulous.

OK. so how does replacing the senior KML with the freshman KML make next year's team better?

 

[Waquoit]

KML never had the mobility of either DT3 or Maya. She doesn't have the mobility of KLS either. She is great in her own right but her speed and quickness aren't nearly her strength.

But she excels at the core of the game. Putting the ball in the hoop. How many opposing rallies were snuffed out before they even got going by one of her daggers?

 

[Aluminny69]

Exactly. I don't think anyone should expect that Lou will replace the senior and All-American KML. But she may be close to the equal of freshman KML. That would be fabulous.

Personally, I am going to temper my enthusiasm and expectations for KLS. She has been plagued by nagging injuries over the past year, and continues to play a lot of basketball. We'll see how her body responds to the rigors of college basketball.

BTW, both Charde Houston and Epiphany Prince scored a lot of points in high school. It did not translate to the same scoring success in college.

 

[msf22b]

OK. so how does replacing the senior KML with the freshman KML make next year's team better?

Very simple;

Collier is just as good and perhaps more college- (Geno) game ready.
Sort of another Tuck but more athletic, faster and with better wheels.
And with the tough Boykin, you have wing and power forward backup and maybe 2's as well.

A unique class.

 

[Bonpland]

I think that we'll go nine deep in the rotation next year and that we'll have one of, if not the, most athletic teams we've ever had. They'll be moments with Mo, Gabby and Collier on the floor that will stun the opposition with speed. KLS I agree will have to find her game on this level. She's a good shooter and has a high on-court IQ, but we'll have to see how she adjusts to playing alongside and being defended by superior athlete's. That can be said of every incoming freshman, but for a player of her physical statue it can be a struggle to find a way to establish herself against Nina Davis type defenders.
While it's very true that most other programs are far behind ours in developing a winning culture, the level of athleticism in WCBB has increased dramatically over the past few years. There are great athletes everywhere now, they're just not (in most cases) led by great coaches.
The biggest improvement next year will be that we add another layer of speed (Collier) and strength (Boykin). I think it will take more time for KLS to find her place here. Just shooting is not enough anymore, and I don't think that she is strong enough or long enough to do what Stewie does. If she can find a way to give us what Ann did, hitting three's and slicing along the baseline when her defender ignores the inside then I think that she might very well become a KML type presense for UCONN over the next four years. (The killer shot and the supporting inside game.)
Next year though will be all about Collier and Gabby making their presense felt coming in off of the bench. Stewie, Tuck, Butler, Nurse and the Rocket start.

 

[Sonny44]

Okay, with NC 10 done and properly celebrated, we are left to wonder. What is the likelihood of UConn being even better next year? Are we perhaps over-estimating the skillset/contributions of the incoming freshmen? Are we under-appraising the losses due to graduation? Quite aside from the rise or fall of the competition, which is an overload of variables, how does a team that has won two NC's become demonstrably better in 2015-16?

My inquiry is prompted by D's comment, "You'd better get them this year..."

the keys are Gabby and. Natalie, not so much the new gals.

 

[UcMiami]

KML when she came to Uconn was short, slow, with a killer shot - her freshman year she played 28 minutes a game and shot 3s at 38% - she scored 15.0 ppg and led the team (this was year one post MM.) She had 206 rebounds, 64 assists, 56 TOs, 47 steals, and 20 blocks. On that team, two of the starters averaged less than 10 ppg - Kelly (6.7) and CD (5.0) - and a third Dolson was at 10.4. Only two players seeing significant minutes were shooting above 50% from the field. The team was desperate to replace Maya's (22.8) scoring and did not have another viable option and this was not an NC team though they did get to the FF. KML was very impressive as a freshman and improved most of her numbers as a sophomore. As a senior she was playing on a very different team and the numbers reflect that:
PPG 14.9, rebounds 158, assists 104, TOs 56, Steals 42, Blocks 14 - except for assists and A/TO her numbers are down, even though she was a much better player! The team around her had changed.

No freshman coming into this years team needs to provide the kind of scoring that KML provide her freshman and sophomore years. And no freshman is going to be playing 28 minutes a game. In fact Jefferson and Stewart the two 4th year seniors are the only two players likely to get around that many minutes.

The team this year's freshman will be joining returns 4 starters who all averaged 10+ points per game, and three shoot above 50% with the fourth having faded to 48.6% as the freshman wall hit. Three of them also shoot over 40% from three, they all have over 100 assists and the worst had a 1.6 A/TO ratio. They all contributed at least 100 rebounds, three had more than 50 steals and the fourth had 31. This is a mature team with a bench that includes another 200+ rebounder/60+% shooter/50 Assist/46 steal player and a 47% shooter/70+ rebound and assist player.

The Freshman and Butler will be expected to contribute in somewhat limited minutes whatever their strengths are. They will not be expected nor does the team need them to lead in any statistical category. Butler will be expected to contribute a low post presence on both ends, rebounding, and some points. Lou will be expected to contribute some outside shooting, some interior work, and some defense. Collier will be expected to contribute a little bit of everything similar to the role Morgan has played, Boykin is perhaps the enigma in that she is a glue type player who is probably a bit like Kelly with better offensive skills and weaker defensive skills.

As a whole the team does not need any of the new players to be brilliant, though all have the possibility to show brilliance. If two out of the 4 are competent the team will be very good indeed, if all four are, the team will be as deep as any team in Uconn history. And if one or more show flashes of greatness, watch out!!!

 

[stamfordhusky]

OK. so how does replacing the senior KML with the freshman KML make next year's team better?

It doesn't. It just helps mitigate the loss, at least in terms of 3-point shooting. However next year's team clearly should be better because:

1. Stewart should be better.
2. Tuck should be better.
3. Jefferson should be better.
4. Nurse should be better.
5. Williams should be better.
6. Chong should be better.
7. Ekmark should be better.
8. Butler will be eligible - and likely will be a very good center.
9. KLS gives them a very versatile addition.
10. Collier is a nice addition.
11. Boykin is a nice addition.


If healthy, all of the improvements listed above easily outweigh the two departures.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

This will be one of the top 2 or 3 most athletic teams Geno has had here at UCONN! He will play combo's that will be very special and create match-ups for opponents that will be impossible to defense! MoJeff, Williams, Collier, Tuck. and Nurse for example will be awesome!
A lot of interchangeable parts!

 

[CocoHusky]

I don't agree. I can't recall one pf or center where I felt nervous or anything like that. Further I like having Stewie inside just as much as I know she can play wings - inside she is force.

I think I'm with UC on this one. These are the games ( Stanford, Rutgers, & Maryland) that I can remember thinking get Stewie out of the post . I don't like Stewie havng to defend full time in the post against bulkier PF or centers. It wears on you too much.

 

[Geno-ista]

OK. so how does replacing the senior KML with the freshman KML make next year's team better?

Your not taking into act the maturation of 4 starters, two bench players, and a seasoned 6'5" post, and 3 new thorobreds! Let's try this approach- How did this year's do so well losing two all Americans at such key positions?

 

[hoophuskee]

[

I think that we'll go nine deep in the rotation next year and that we'll have one of, if not the, most athletic teams we've ever had. They'll be moments with Mo, Gabby and Collier on the floor that will stun the opposition with speed. KLS I agree will have to find her game on this level. She's a good shooter and has a high on-court IQ, but we'll have to see how she adjusts to playing alongside and being defended by superior athlete's. That can be said of every incoming freshman, but for a player of her physical statue it can be a struggle to find a way to establish herself against Nina Davis type defenders.
While it's very true that most other programs are far behind ours in developing a winning culture, the level of athleticism in WCBB has increased dramatically over the past few years. There are great athletes everywhere now, they're just not (in most cases) led by great coaches.
The biggest improvement next year will be that we add another layer of speed (Collier) and strength (Boykin). I think it will take more time for KLS to find her place here. Just shooting is not enough anymore, and I don't think that she is strong enough or long enough to do what Stewie does. If she can find a way to give us what Ann did, hitting three's and slicing along the baseline when her defender ignores the inside then I think that she might very well become a KML type presense for UCONN over the next four years. (The killer shot and the supporting inside game.)
Next year though will be all about Collier and Gabby making their presence felt coming in off of the bench. Stewie, Tuck, Butler, Nurse and the Rocket start.

I don't agree with the tone of this. I think you are VASTLY under-rating skill over athleticism. I'll agree regarding injuries which some others brought up but that is about it. I agree with many that Butler will start too, but KLS, if healthy, is a beast of a player Though as a frosh she'll have a few up-and downs. She's around 6'3 with a super-quick release. Teams aren't going to put "Nina Davis" on her. They are going to be putting "Nina" on Stewie and Tuck. And possibly if smaller have to load the paint a bit for Butler too.

UCONN has too many weapons for a team to focus their energies by placing of their best defenders on KLS. And with that said- they aren't going to be facing Nina ever game/ every week. KLS at 6'3 with very quick release is going to be so much better than you think- if she is healthy.

She is going to be a much better player than Ann. Much better. When Anne took a 3 she needed to be wide open.

Boykin missed a year. There is no way she is going to get minutes over KLS unless KLS is injured.

 

[Waquoit]

Your not taking into act the maturation of 4 starters, two bench players, and a seasoned 6'5" post, and 3 new thorobreds! Let's try this approach- How did this year's do so well losing two all Americans at such key positions?

Believe me, I'm accounting for everything. I think it's others that aren't accounting for how important KMLs shooting was.

And as successful as this season was, this year's team loses to last years team. Handily at that.

 

[CocoHusky]

Believe me, I'm accounting for everything. I think it's others that aren't accounting for how important KMLs shooting was.
And as successful as this season was, this year's team loses to last years team. Handily at that.

So are you saying ( KML + Kiah Stokes > KLS + The Pheenom + Butler + Boykin + 1 year Growth of Nurse + 1 year Healthier Morgan Tuck + Stewie & MoJeff on a mission to be first to graduate w/4 rings )?

 

[Waquoit]

So are you saying ( KML + Kiah Stokes > KLS + The Pheenom + Butler + Boykin + 1 year Growth of Nurse + 1 year Healthier Morgan Tuck + Stewie & MoJeff on a mission to be first to graduate w/4 rings )?

What I am saying is that no one on next year's team will be a better shooter than KML was. KML's shooting was a major weapon for this team. Apparently an underappreciated weapon based on this thread. UConn will be the chalk, but for next years team to be better, a frosh or two will need to be great.

 

[chrissaran]

As I've said before, Natalie is a better rebounder and shot blocker than Stef. Stef's greatest strength was her passing and leadership. As for Katie Lou, she can take people of the bounce better than Kaleena, aand as a 6'3" guard, she will be a matchup nightmare. That adds to the matchup nightmare Breanna will be with Natalie in the post. She'll be able to move around even more knowing that Natalie is the last line of defense and will clean the glass. We will have even more weapons than this year: Breanna, Moriah, Morgan, Kia, Gabby, Natalie, Katie Lou, Napheesa, De'Janae, Saniya and Courtney.

 

[chrissaran]

Breanna will still play in the post because few, if any, can defend her. What she won't have to do is defend bigger players. Natalie will see to that, thus Breanna will be fresher throughout the year.

 

[meyers7]

What I am saying is that no one on next year's team will be a better shooter than KML was. KML's shooting was a major weapon for this team. Apparently an underappreciated weapon based on this thread. UConn will be the chalk, but for next years team to be better, a frosh or two will need to be great.

No, that's not true. The frosh will be more like frosting on the cake. The cake itself doesn't really need any frosting (it's that good), BUT, it gets some delicious frosting anyway to make it out of this world.

We're not gonna replace KML next year. We know that. A freshman KLS is not gonna replace a senior KML. But there's a bigger picture here. It's not about replacing KML to make next years team better. The biggest thing next year will be having Stewart and Jefferson as seniors (and Tuck as a Jr). Last years triumvirate included a Sr (who wasn't really a leader) and 2 Jr's. This coming years triumvirate will include 2 Sr's (one who is a really good leader and one who's a good leader and NPOY) and Jr who is a great leader. THERE, is where your team is going to be better. That along with 4 starters returning. Really those four and me could probably win a NC.

 

[CocoHusky]

What I am saying is that no one on next year's team will be a better shooter than KML was. KML's shooting was a major weapon for this team. Apparently an underappreciated weapon based on this thread. UConn will be the chalk, but for next years team to be better, a frosh or two will need to be great.

I don't agree with you on that last part about a frosh will need to be great. Moriah Jefferson % wise was the best 3 PT shooter last year not KML. I don't think anyone in this thread is "underappreciating" KML Definitely not me. Just a difference in philosophy I love the three ball but at the end of the day the objective is to put points on the board. Morgan Tuck for example only put up 3 less points than KML last year 562 vs 565. So the UCONN offense is not depended on the 3 point shot IMO.

 

[rugbymate]

Geno is a master at designing offensive flow around the strength of his players. Last year, KML at the 3 played largely on the perimeter which gave Stewie and Morgan plenty of room to work underneath. It worked great.
Next year, with Stewie at the 3 she will have the 15-18 foot option or she can go to the basket. Butler and Tuck will camp out underneath and put up nice numbers. My guess is that we score a lot more points in the paint next year and at the foul line. We will have an overall higher shooting %. but make less threes. I'm willing to bet that our offense will score at least as many points per game.
defensively, I can't see how we are not going to be better. Leadership wise(as Meyers has pointed out)....it will be unambiguous...Mo's team. It all adds up to a better team next year.

 

[MuchoDogYears]

Change is good.

If KML and Kiah didn't graduate this year... and next years team had the same 5 starters and same subs, they'd have a difficult time repeating. I think they'd get "stale", players stagnant in their same roles, and other teams would get more confident.

By only losing two players, while bringing in Butler and a great recruiting class, this team will get re-energized. The tremendous competition within the team for playing time over those two openings will hone this team to a fine point.

Next years team will surpass this years. But I wonder what will happen the following year when Stewie and Mo graduate?

 

[CocoHusky]

Change is good.

If KML and Kiah didn't graduate this year... and next years team had the same 5 starters and same subs, they'd have a difficult time repeating. I think they'd get "stale", players stagnant in their same roles, and other teams would get more confident.

By only losing two players, while bringing in Butler and a great recruiting class, this team will get re-energized. The tremendous competition within the team for playing time over those two openings will hone this team to a fine point.

Next years team will surpass this years. But I wonder what will happen the following year when Stewie and Mo graduate?

I was with you when you said "Change is good." I would have said change is inevitable but no matter. You lost me hear "and next years team had the same 5 starters and same subs, they'd have a difficult time repeating". Who would beat them? I had a total depature when you said, "players stagnant in their same roles, and other teams would get more confident". If that happened, that would be a first time for a UCONN team since an Italian guy from Norristown, PA started coaching the team some 30 years ago.

 

[MuchoDogYears]

I was with you when you said "Change is good." I would have said change is inevitable but no matter. You lost me hear "and next years team had the same 5 starters and same subs, they'd have a difficult time repeating". Who would beat them? I had a total depature when you said, "players stagnant in their same roles, and other teams would get more confident". If that happened, that would be a first time for a UCONN team since an Italian guy from Norristown, PA started coaching the team some 30 years ago.

Yeah, you're right, I probably overplayed that "difficult time repeating" card! But I stand by the point that the team would've stagnated at times during the season and put it on auto-pilot (yes, even with Geno at the helm I've seen that happen in the past to some of his best teams). However, when tourney time came around, they admittedly would've rolled.

 

[UcMiami]

What I am saying is that no one on next year's team will be a better shooter than KML was. KML's shooting was a major weapon for this team. Apparently an underappreciated weapon based on this thread. UConn will be the chalk, but for next years team to be better, a frosh or two will need to be great.

Or Moriah will need to take more shots (she was a better shooter than KML, but took a lot less shots.)
Or Someone will need to play better defense than KML - two sides to every game and K was not a great defender - not bad, but not great.
Or Stewart needs to shoot 40% from three instead of 31% (her worst average)
Or Morgan needs to maintain her late season three form not her early season three form
Or Kia needs to maintain her early season play and not hit the wall in January and drop 100 points off her shooting percentages
Or ...
KML was great and will be missed as will Kiah - but there are a lot of ways to win at basketball games - next years team will be different and who knows how they will win. Or if they will be 'better' than last year.
And by the way, did anyone figure out yet if the 2014 team was better or worse than the 2015 team?

 

[alexrgct]

OK, so to conclude this rather long thread, I propose its title be changed to, "Better next year! Really!"

 

[JoePgh]

And by the way, did anyone figure out yet if the 2014 team was better or worse than the 2015 team?

I was thinking about how one would determine that.

I guess we can be fairly sure that KML would light up the scoreboard if she were defended by KML.
But how successful would Moriah be trying to drive against Moriah?
Would Stewie be able to score in the paint against Stewie? And could Stewie keep Stewie off the boards?

And based on the answers to these questions, would the 2014 or the 2015 team be favored?

If you want to talk about the matchups that actually involve different human beings, I would offer this:

• I think Morgan could probably put up 20 to 25 points against Stef, and get Stef in foul trouble. Stef also could not run the floor with Morgan, and might only be able to play 15 to 20 minutes. Kiah would have to come in to defend Morgan, and then 2014's offense would suffer. After all, as Doris would tell us, 2015 could defend 5 against 4 (at least until Kiah came in for 2015 to give Morgan a rest).
  
• When Kia Nurse guarded Bria Hartley, Kia would take away her penetration and would make her hit jump shots. If Bria were having a good shooting night (a very hit-or-miss proposition), she might score 20 on pull-up jump shots from the free throw line. But I doubt that Bria would get any steals against Kia, and Kia would defend Bria very well in transition. Kia probably wouldn't score too many points on the offensive end, however.

On the whole, I would give the 2015 editions of Stewie and especially the post-Christmas Moriah a distinct advantage over their 2014 incarnations, and therefore would give the edge to the 2015 team.

 

[Gus Mahler]

I was thinking about how one would determine that.

I guess we can be fairly sure that KML would light up the scoreboard if she were defended by KML.
But how successful would Moriah be trying to drive against Moriah?
Would Stewie be able to score in the paint against Stewie? And could Stewie keep Stewie off the boards?

And based on the answers to these questions, would the 2014 or the 2015 team be favored?

If you want to talk about the matchups that actually involve different human beings, I would offer this:

• I think Morgan could probably put up 20 to 25 points against Stef, and get Stef in foul trouble. Stef also could not run the floor with Morgan, and might only be able to play 15 to 20 minutes. Kiah would have to come in to defend Morgan, and then 2014's offense would suffer. After all, as Doris would tell us, 2015 could defend 5 against 4 (at least until Kiah came in for 2015 to give Morgan a rest).
  
• When Kia Nurse guarded Bria Hartley, Kia would take away her penetration and would make her hit jump shots. If Bria were having a good shooting night (a very hit-or-miss proposition), she might score 20 on pull-up jump shots from the free throw line. But I doubt that Bria would get any steals against Kia, and Kia would defend Bria very well in transition. Kia probably wouldn't score too many points on the offensive end, however.

On the whole, I would give the 2015 editions of Stewie and especially the post-Christmas Moriah a distinct advantage over their 2014 incarnations, and therefore would give the edge to the 2015 team.

Good one!

But Morgan dropping 25 on Stef? Against the National Defensive Player of the Year?

Surely you jest!

 

[Geno-ista]

No, that's not true. The frosh will be more like frosting on the cake. The cake itself doesn't really need any frosting (it's that good), BUT, it gets some delicious frosting anyway to make it out of this world.

We're not gonna replace KML next year. We know that. A freshman KLS is not gonna replace a senior KML. But there's a bigger picture here. It's not about replacing KML to make next years team better. The biggest thing next year will be having Stewart and Jefferson as seniors (and Tuck as a Jr). Last years triumvirate included a Sr (who wasn't really a leader) and 2 Jr's. This coming years triumvirate will include 2 Sr's (one who is a really good leader and one who's a good leader and NPOY) and Jr who is a great leader. THERE, is where your team is going to be better. That along with 4 starters returning. Really those four and me could probably win a NC.

Classic! Again!