Cardoso to miss Gamecocks game with UConn?

[undersized]

Stephanie Soares was on the Brazil team with Cardoso before she tore her ACL. She's currently a grad assistant coach at Iowa State. She's 12-13 months removed from her surgery. She was on the Brazil roster for 2022 and obviously not in 2023 but I can't find a 2024 roster listing. I wonder if she planning on playing in this or the Olympics this summer?

For what it's worth, Stephanie Soares is on Brazil's preliminary roster of 15 players. I think it needs to be cut down to 12 though. Per these links:

Roster Tracker: Who will be playing in the 2024 FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournaments?

MIES (Switzerland) - The 2024 FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournaments are right around the corner and with that, national federations from competing nations have begun to announce player rosters.

www.fiba.basketball

Seleção Brasileira feminina é convocada para o Pré-Olímpico de Belém

A Seleção Brasileira feminina está convocada para a disputa do Pré-Olímpico de Belém do Pará, de 8 a 11 de fevereiro, no Brasil. Em três jogos, contra Alemanha, Sérvia e Austrália, a Seleção vai em busca de uma das três vagas do grupo para a disputa da Olimpíada de Paris 2024. Todas as partidas...

cbb.com.br

(have your browser translate it from portuguese)

 

[Jmsdawg]

Not.

I am happy about this because I believe this game will be competitive., indeed I believe UConn has a good chance to win. SC has home court and they are a formidable team even without Cardoso but UConn has a formidable team with Paige and Edwards if they both are on their game. I want UConn to win so I maybe looking thur rose colored but I expect a really good match.

 

[Performance]

It's a game people, hardly life or death!! Uconn will show up and give it their all which is all we can ask ( along with some respect) given our injury situation. Go Uconn!!!

 

[bballnut90]

I've been expecting that; I'm sure UCONN fans are happy about that.

Doubtful. The whole point of the regular season is to prepare you for the post season. Playing against a Cardoso-less SC doesn't prepare them as well for a potential matchup in the NCAAs, which is when the stakes are high. And if UCONN pulls an upset, part of the narrative will be, "SC was missing Cardoso" which doesn't make you feel as good about the win compared to if she was there. I'm sure everyone wishes she was playing even if UCONN's chances of winning go up a bit.

 

[Vowelguy]

I am happy about this because I believe this game will be competitive., indeed I believe UConn has a good chance to win. SC has home court and they are a formidable team even without Cardoso but UConn has a formidable team with Paige and Edwards if they both are on their game. I want UConn to win so I maybe looking thur rose colored but I expect a really good match.

When a key player is out for just a game or two, the other players often get more focused and more aggressive, knowing they can’t sit back and rely on the star.

I’ve seen this happen a bunch of times in MCBB.

 

[Darwin]

The game will be decided by the guard play on both sides, and I include Paige as one of UCONN’s four guards. Edwards will be an advantage against Watkins/Feagins, so we can eliminate the talk about SC having a frontcourt advantage outside of depth concerns for UCONN at that position.

If experience comes into play, which it might due to the Huskies starting two freshman guards, then advantage in the backcourt would go to SC imo. UCONN needs Shade and Arnold to not play like freshman in a big environment. Fulwiley is a freshman also, but she seems to love the big stage games. She is an X factor in this game, she can get to the hoop against anyone.

 

[GamecockFam]

The game will be decided by the guard play on both sides, and I include Paige as one of UCONN’s four guards. Edwards will be an advantage against Watkins/Feagins, so we can eliminate the talk about SC having a frontcourt advantage outside of depth concerns for UCONN at that position.

If experience comes into play, which it might due to the Huskies starting two freshman guards, then advantage in the backcourt would go to SC imo. UCONN needs Shade and Arnold to not play like freshman in a big environment. Fulwiley is a freshman also, but she seems to love the big stage games. She is an X factor in this game, she can get to the hoop against anyone.

Watkins is a great defender and Feagin has her moments. I think AE will perform well but she won't be popping off for 20 points. What about Kitts? I think Kitts has a similar offensive skill set as Edwards. I have trouble seeing it as an advantage for UConn. I would agree that Edwards is the most experienced big on the court.

 

[bballnut90]

Watkins is a great defender and Feagin has her moments. I think AE will perform well but she won't be popping off for 20 points. What about Kitts? I think Kitts has a similar offensive skill set as Edwards. I have trouble seeing it as an advantage for UConn. I would agree that Edwards is the most experienced big on the court.

Love Kitts but Edwards is stronger and a lot more polished than Chloe is, though I agree both have similar skill sets. It’ll be a good test for Kitts but I think Edwards wins this matchup. Watkins is a great defender when she stays focused and avoids foul trouble. I don’t think she matches up with Edwards though, Dawn wont her getting into foul trouble. FWIW, Edwards torched SC last year going up against Cardoso and Saxton but SC dominated the glass which was the difference. If SC can box out well and have Hall slowdown Bueckers, they should win this game even if Edwards has a big night again.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

Love Kitts but Edwards is stronger and a lot more polished than Chloe is, though I agree both have similar skill sets. It’ll be a good test for Kitts but I think Edwards wins this matchup. Watkins is a great defender when she stays focused and avoids foul trouble. I don’t think she matches up with Edwards though, Dawn wont her getting into foul trouble. FWIW, Edwards torched SC last year going up against Cardoso and Saxton but SC dominated the glass which was the difference. If SC can box out well and have Hall slowdown Bueckers, they should win this game even if Edwards has a big night again.

Bueckers will slow down Bueckers, she doesn’t need Hall’s help.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Watkins is a great defender and Feagin has her moments. I think AE will perform well but she won't be popping off for 20 points. What about Kitts? I think Kitts has a similar offensive skill set as Edwards. I have trouble seeing it as an advantage for UConn. I would agree that Edwards is the most experienced big on the court.

I think Edwards will probably be pretty successful against Feagin.

Edwards had 25 last year against a better defensive team.

 

[Darwin]

Watkins is a great defender and Feagin has her moments. I think AE will perform well but she won't be popping off for 20 points. What about Kitts? I think Kitts has a similar offensive skill set as Edwards. I have trouble seeing it as an advantage for UConn. I would agree that Edwards is the most experienced big on the court.

Kitts will likely be guarding Paige when she plays, she isn’t strong enough to guard Edwards yet. I’m not sure how much Kitts will play even though she likely starts. Hall will probably be guarding Paige a bunch.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Kitts will likely be guarding Paige when she plays, she isn’t strong enough to guard Edwards yet. I’m not sure how much Kitts will play even though she likely starts. Hall will probably be guarding Paige a bunch.

Good god I hope not. Paige will torch Kitts.

Probably have to slide Chloe to Shade.

 

[TC22]

Kitts will likely be guarding Paige when she plays, she isn’t strong enough to guard Edwards yet. I’m not sure how much Kitts will play even though she likely starts. Hall will probably be guarding Paige a bunch.

Kitts will play a lot. I think Hall guards Bueckers, which will put Kitts on a different guard. Dawn is going to try to shut down either Bueckers or Edwards - my guess is Paige. She will try to make Edwards beat us on her own. I know Watkins may have to guard Paige some, but Paige also has to guard Watkins. Fulwiley will be the difference In this game. She is the shiftiest guard I have seen in a long, long time.

 

[GamecockFam]

Good god I hope not. Paige will torch Kitts.

Probably have to slide Chloe to Shade.

I think it depends on our strategy.

Kitts will play a lot. I think Hall guards Bueckers, which will put Kitts on a different guard. Dawn is going to try to shut down either Bueckers or Edwards - my guess is Paige. She will try to make Edwards beat us on her own. I know Watkins may have to guard Paige some, but Paige also has to guard Watkins. Fulwiley will be the difference In this game. She is the shiftiest guard I have seen in a long, long time.

I bet Dawn tries to force Geno to use a three guard lineup by trying to attack Paige while we are on offense and get her into foul trouble. I could see Watkins and Kitts trying to isolate and post her up under the basket. If a guard tries to creep up and help, then we'll kick it out for a three. Doing that will force Geno to put Ice Brady in the game and pull a guard, which I think would benefit our matchups on defense because we can put Watkins/Kitts on Edwards, Feagin/Watkins on Brady, and Hall on Bueckers.

I also could see us experimenting with a four guard like up as well. We tested it out against Ole Miss with Johnson/Paopao/Fulwiley/Hall in the game and Hall at the 4.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

I think it depends on our strategy.

I bet Dawn tries to force Geno to use a three guard lineup by trying to attack Paige while we are on offense and get her into foul trouble. I could see Watkins and Kitts trying to isolate and post her up under the basket. If a guard tries to creep up and help, then we'll kick it out for a three. Doing that will force Geno to put Ice Brady in the game and pull a guard, which I think would benefit our matchups on defense because we can put Watkins/Kitts on Edwards, Feagin/Watkins on Brady, and Hall on Bueckers.

I also could see us experimenting with a four guard like up as well. We tested it out against Ole Miss with Johnson/Paopao/Fulwiley/Hall in the game and Hall at the 4.

You definitely try and post up whichever small person has drawn a forward on the offensive end if you have the matchup.

You have to make Bueckers and Edwards work for it on both ends. Fouls should be a big issue in this one.