Can anyone beat the Huskies?

[Bigpetunia]

Can the Huskies drop a game this season? Of course they can. Will they lose, even once? Nope, not in my opinion. Talent-wise, they are just loaded-for-bear. Led by their best player, Gabby Williams, last seen in a state of post-game locker room fury, they will demonstrate how helpful a loss, especially a season-ending loss, can be in placing a giant chip on the collective shoulder of an otherwise unruffled team of sweethearts. Too bad the off-season is so long and we have so lengthy a wait to enjoy it. But let us suppose that I, alas, am wrong (I'm not, don't worry). The most intelligent comments on this thread, in my opinion, suggest that the most formidable obstacle in the path of yet another undefeated championship season is UConn itself. Like any team, however talented, they (and only they) can put themselves in a position to lose. But, should that unlikely event occur, since this is the UConn Women's Basketball trophy-laden program we're talking about, and since this is The Boneyard, which should be a repository of intelligent thought, can we agree on just one thing: should this team, against all odds, put themselves in that position, they will have done just that...and therefore, can we mutually pledge, in advance, to not to emulate the Notre Dame fan base by indulging in the classic losers' refrain that they so devotedly embrace...it was the referees' fault? We can make that pledge, can't we?

 

[UConnNick]

Intelligent, thoughtful comment---with a tad of reality to it--
You are assuming, I would believe, that Molly or Kyla have not progressed in Defense or Offense since last fall. I have to believe they have. Also, they know the Geno system, the new guys don't , theyknow Geno's defense and practice mentality-the new guys must learn that. Now--assuming--Walker is all she is supposed to be and picks up a bit of defense and learns genos system--she may hit the floor early--I guess that goes for any of the new 4 that can contribute--
At this point there is no certainty of how it will all fall out--
Your assessment--is as accurate as anyone at this point.
The smart new kids will know --they are freshmen and watching is part of the learning--PT will come . The pinch is on Kyla and Molly--they are no longer freshmen. Geno stated years ago--that his emphasis is on freshmen, then sophs, Junior should know the system, Senior s--get no help they are to help with the younger guys. and it pretty well falls out that way.

By no means am I suggesting that Molly and Kyla won't be improved players next season. I'm sure they likely will be with the year of experience behind them. However, that doesn't mean they might not be surpassed by some or all of the incoming freshman in terms of sheer talent and athleticism. It's no knock on them at all, just a possibility that after the first couple of months, any or perhaps all of the freshmen could show themselves as valuable contributors off the bench. There's only 200 minutes of PT per game to go around. With this much talent, one or more players may feel that they're not getting enough of it to show what they can do or improve their game.

They were the No. 3 and 4 players off the bench last season. They may start the season in about the same spots. If they prove to be more effective than some or all of the freshmen, they might maintain that position or even move up slightly. If they slip behind one or more of them, they're going to be getting less playing time than they did last season. It all remains to be seen and will be interesting to watch.

 

[cbraarj]

Not this year!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I think chemistry will be the X factor for this team. It appears there may not be enough PT to go around, considering the wealth of talent. Whether or not that becomes a problem remains to be seen. Bent and Irwin may not get even a second, third or fourth nod coming off the bench against tougher opposition than the usual array of AAC sacrificial lambs. It looks like there's some superior talent coming in as freshmen that may supplant both of them. They could ultimately view it as having been recruited over if their PT decreases compared with last season. You'll also have the freshmen all competing against each other for what's likely to be limited PT against the tougher teams.

Your point cannot be ignored and we have had a number of discussions about it. However, Molly and Kyla are two coaches kids who entered the program with their eyes wide open. The four freshman, or the one or two who in your scenario sour, would have to be dunces not to know that they arrive to understudy their roles and hope - yes hope - to get lucky. The coaching staff do not tolerate "moody". Moody goes elsewhere, fast.

 

[SCspur]

Everybody overlooks Harris... she doesn't light you up for 30 points like Slocum and didn't have the ranking of Dangerfield but she's smart and she listens to Dawn, coachable and executes... most importantly, she doesn't turn the ball over... (she didn't have a single turnover on the road at UConn, a freshman on the road in the most hostile environment in WCBB).. she's quietly one of the best young point guards in the country.

Let them keep on sleeping, I could see her become an AA as soon as next year. She sees the game like no other and executes very well. With all honesty SC couldn't have won the nat'l championship without her, her calm and cool demeanor as a freshman gave the team a boost and a pg we never had before. People tend to forget that she's also a winner 3 HS state championships in Indiana, and her 4th as a freshman. She'll be very tough to stop for her 5th.

 

[ricky]

I'll predict a loss at South Carolina. The game is at their place, and Wilson's a senior, so I expect her to be in beast mode.

Yes we need to factor in the dependence of the beast mode on the probably formula.

 

[hoophuskee]

Can the Huskies drop a game this season? Of course they can. Will they lose, even once? Nope, not in my opinion. Talent-wise, they are just loaded-for-bear. Led by their best player, Gabby Williams, last seen in a state of post-game locker room fury, they will demonstrate how helpful a loss, especially a season-ending loss, can be in placing a giant chip on the collective shoulder of an otherwise unruffled team of sweethearts. Too bad the off-season is so long and we have so lengthy a wait to enjoy it. But let us suppose that I, alas, am wrong (I'm not, don't worry). The most intelligent comments on this thread, in my opinion, suggest that the most formidable obstacle in the path of yet another undefeated championship season is UConn itself. Like any team, however talented, they (and only they) can put themselves in a position to lose. But, should that unlikely event occur, since this is the UConn Women's Basketball trophy-laden program we're talking about, and since this is The Boneyard, which should be a repository of intelligent thought, can we agree on just one thing: should this team, against all odds, put themselves in that position, they will have done just that...and therefore, can we mutually pledge, in advance, to not to emulate the Notre Dame fan base by indulging in the classic losers' refrain that they so devotedly embrace...it was the referees' fault? We can make that pledge, can't we?

No.

When UCONN lost last year were the majority of posts prevalent blaming it on the refs? I don't think so.

How about several years earlier at Stanford? I don't think so.

As a result, it seems most on the board don't blame the refs at every slight. Thus it seems we can trust the majority of fans on this site. Therefore if the majority of fans feel that the refs blew it, can we take a pledge not to pretend that they didn't?

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

As an old HS Wrestling Coach for over 30 years I've learned "never say never"!
first of all, remember one important fact MissSt did not beat UCONN, UCONN beat UCONN, they no-where played close to their normal game and lost by 2 points in OT! If UCONN won in the semi's they would have beaten SoCar by between 20 & 30 points, the average score of previous victories vs SoCar over the recent past!
But the reality of the WCBB scene in 2017-2018 is that everyone who usually has a shot, maybe a small shot, at giving UCONN a challenging game somewhere along the season, has lost valuable pieces to their puzzle!
SoCar, Baylor, ND, TX, theOSU, MD, L'ville, FSU, MichSU, OKLA, UCLA all have either lost to injury, graduated or lost as transfers some really talented players. UCONN on the other hand lost 2 seniors (1 starter), and a transfer (off the bench), and replaced them with 2 outstanding transfers, 6'2" & 6'6", and the best recruiting class of freshmen in WCBB, more than making up for the 3 players that left!
So the odds of any of the any of UCONN's 2017-2018 opponents beating them has gone way up!
The biggest worries for coaches, players, and fans of the Huskies, are injuries and illnesses! If they can remain healthy there are too many ways to score 85 to 90 points a game or stop an opponent from scoring enough points needed to win!

 

[UConnNick]

As an old HS Wrestling Coach for over 30 years I've learned "never say never"!
first of all, remember one important fact MissSt did not beat UConn, UConn beat UConn, they no-where played close to their normal game and lost by 2 points in OT! If UConn won in the semi's they would have beaten SoCar by between 20 & 30 points, the average score of previous victories vs SoCar over the recent past!
But the reality of the WCBB scene in 2017-2018 is that everyone who usually has a shot, maybe a small shot, at giving UConn a challenging game somewhere along the season, has lost valuable pieces to their puzzle!
SoCar, Baylor, ND, TX, theOSU, MD, L'ville, FSU, MichSU, OKLA, UCLA all have either lost to injury, graduated or lost as transfers some really talented players. UConn on the other hand lost 2 seniors (1 starter), and a transfer (off the bench), and replaced them with 2 outstanding transfers, 6'2" & 6'6", and the best recruiting class of freshmen in WCBB, more than making up for the 3 players that left!
So the odds of any of the any of UConn's 2017-2018 opponents beating them has gone way up!
The biggest worries for coaches, players, and fans of the Huskies, are injuries and illnesses! If they can remain healthy there are too many ways to score 85 to 90 points a game or stop an opponent from scoring enough points needed to win!

Holding UConn at 85-90 ppg may depend on Geno's mood during any particular game. My guess is holding this team to that low a scoring total will require Geno ordering the team to deliberately sit on the ball for 30 seconds on every 4Q possession.

 

[JustinesGuy]

Knowone thought 90-91 UNLV would lose to duke especially after they killed them a mere year earlier.

Ok old example. How about a few years ago when people were taking bets on Kentucky against the field when they came into the tournament. Kentucky lost to Wisconsin.

When I see threads like this I cringe. The optics are just bad, and I'm superstitious. Next thing u know a few key injuries hit or we face a tough pressure D and shots don't fall and we lose. I can happen, it should happen. I just hope we face some adversity and pull it out and win a NC.