Caroline discusses her injury

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About her hip:

“I wanted to work through it,” Ducharme said. “I wasn’t going to sit out unless I was told you need to get it fixed. With all the injuries, all the adversity we dealt with, I felt like I needed to play.

“There were games where I was dragging along. But I know people that have had this surgery and they’ve come back and felt a lot better. I’m excited about that.”

 

[RockyMTblue2]

She strikes me as a very mature young lady and eminently likeable. I want to see her take the best of last year and build on it; in other words be a star.

 

[jdote33]

When I think about the team next year I'm always thinking who is going to speed up the pace and get out in transition like CW had done for 4 years. I think CD will be that player. Can't wait for the comeback. And I love how she said I wanna do even more next year.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Was Geno disrespectful of the Big East?

"Big East coaches are awaiting approval for a proposal that would cut conference games from 20 to 18 starting in 2023-24. “That gives us an opportunity to add two more really good games,” Auriemma said."

 

[EricLA]

Big East coaches are awaiting approval for a proposal that would cut conference games from 20 to 18 starting in 2023-24. “That gives us an opportunity to add two more really good games,” Auriemma said.

“It’s not as easy as people think to get really, really good games. Some coaches in the country talk a big game and say they want to do what’s best for women’s basketball. Then when they get a call from TV, ‘We need you play UConn on a Saturday night or Sunday afternoon,’ they’re like, ‘I don’t know if I want to do that.’ Then stop talking about how you’re interested in what’s good for the game. Just say you’re interested ‘in what’s good for me.’ ”

Love the idea of less Big East games. No need to play the bottom feeders twice. Maybe only play Butler and Xavier once. Wouldn't even mind seeing it drop to 16. I think it would ultimately help the league as well. UCONN, Nova, Creighton, and Marquette were all worthy of making the NCAA's and DePaul and Seton Hall were close. Let them all schedule at least 2 more non-conference games that would help their NCAA resume, and that's good for the league.

 

[Centerstream]

Why the swerve from a thread about Caroline to posts about Big East vs OOC schedules? This should be it's own thread, IMO.

Now back to the OP. As I posted previously in another thread, I hope that Caroline gets Christyn's minutes and shows us what she's got...again.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Was Geno disrespectful of the Big East?

"Big East coaches are awaiting approval for a proposal that would cut conference games from 20 to 18 starting in 2023-24. “That gives us an opportunity to add two more really good games,” Auriemma said."

What we saw last season was the top half of the league, give or take, is pretty darn good. The bottom half not so much. That tends to be the case with many leagues.

 

[The deacon]

How about following Centerstream's lead here, folks? How is the Big East schedule relevant here?

As many of us are, I'm a big fan of Caroline and am interested to hear comments about her prospective role in the 2022-23 season.

 

[Next 12]

I have always said that Caroline was the next super star in the likes of Katie Lou and Pheesa Collier. She proved she has the guts and drive to play last year with the hip problem and excel. I watched many videos of her shooting from her senior year of HS. Her scoring was instinctive and almost beyond belief. There wasn't a spot on the floor she couldn't hit from, even 6 feet from the 3 point line. I know Geno will do what's best for his team, but I hope he gives her the same game time he gave Katie Lou in her sophomore year. In high school she was a fantastic 3 point shooter. She beat Azzi in a 3 popint contest. Azzi had a higher point total, but Caroline made more baskets for the win. Can't wait for the season to begin and have HIGH HOPES this year is NO 12 National Championship. GO HUSKIES!!!

 

[Ozimoto]

Was Geno disrespectful of the Big East?

"Big East coaches are awaiting approval for a proposal that would cut conference games from 20 to 18 starting in 2023-24. “That gives us an opportunity to add two more really good games,” Auriemma said."

I didn't take it that way. I took it as having an opportunity for all of the schools to schedule games that would help their overall rating and help them to have a better shot at getting an NCAA berth.

 

[boontonbomber]

Story says she'll be 21 in 5 months. Maybe explains a bit why seemed a mature freshman. Most freshman 18 or 19, not 20.

 

[Conndog]

I love Caroline's game, and with her height and penchant for prowling around the basket, she is a mismatch nightmare for a lot of teams. She is going to be an outstanding player this upcoming season, I can't wait to see her play this year! I hope that other teams will key on Paige or Azzi which will leave Caroline free to bomb away.

 

[cometjo]

I have always said that Caroline was the next super star in the likes of Katie Lou and Pheesa Collier. She proved she has the guts and drive to play last year with the hip problem and excel. I watched many videos of her shooting from her senior year of HS. Her scoring was instinctive and almost beyond belief. There wasn't a spot on the floor she couldn't hit from, even 6 feet from the 3 point line. I know Geno will do what's best for his team, but I hope he gives her the same game time he gave Katie Lou in her sophomore year. In high school she was a fantastic 3 point shooter. She beat Azzi in a 3 popint contest. Azzi had a higher point total, but Caroline made more baskets for the win. Can't wait for the season to begin and have HIGH HOPES this year is NO 12 National Championship. GO HUSKIES!!!

Katie Lou was playing 40 minutes that year because we had no reserves. So I hope she won't get that. But I absolutely think she should get minutes similar to Paige and Azzi.

 

[Bone Dog]

I suspect if Caroline gets lots of minutes, it will mean we're having a great season!

 

[Bone Dog]

Just watched a great highlights compilation for Lou’s last year at Fairfield and I am impressed by her offensive skill set. Its better than I thought. She’s got a lot of the same skills Caroline does, plus a nifty turnaround jumper. If those two split the minutes at the 3, were gone see a lot of production from that position.

I have a feeling at the end of this season we’re gonna really regret we only have Lou for one year.

 

[jdote33]

Just watched a great highlights compilation for Lou’s last year at Fairfield and I am impressed by her offensive skill set. Its better than I thought. She’s got a lot of the same skills Caroline does, plus a nifty turnaround jumper. If those two split the minutes at the 3, were gone see a lot of production from that position.

I have a feeling at the end of this season we’re gonna really regret we only have Lou for one year.

I'm really excited about this teams potential as a shooting team. I'm hoping Caroline will shoot a bit better from distance than last season. And I think Lou is a bit more natural a shooter than the two senior guards. Similarly Dorka a bit more naturally a shooter than Liv.

 

[Centerstream]

I love it when fans keep being critical of last year's seniors. Talk about beating a dead horse. Last year's seniors were a critical part of one Final Four team and a NC runner up team.
How many other programs can say the same? One or two probably.

 

[jdote33]

I hope my post wasn't taken as being critical of last year's seniors. They were great and I'm a fan of all of them. Im just talking about skill set and thinking of how the team will be different this upcoming season. Of course they did things that will be hard to replace. We may be a better shooting team but may take a step back defensively because they all were pretty good defensively.

 

[Geew1992]

I love it when fans keep being critical of last year's seniors. Talk about beating a dead horse. Last year's seniors were a critical part of one Final Four team and a NC runner up team.
How many other programs can say the same? One or two probably.

I think you ae short changing them on their Final 4s. But I def agree with you about the horse

 

[Centerstream]

I think you ae short changing them on their Final 4s. But I def agree with you about the horse

True about their 3 Final Fours, but I was pretty sure that because I stated "critical part" that I would face the onslaught of posters that would be critical of my use of that term for the 2018-19 season.

 

[FormerCTrez]

Story says she'll be 21 in 5 months. Maybe explains a bit why seemed a mature freshman. Most freshman 18 or 19, not 20.

Read that too. However, it’s possible because she was born after the school year.

 

[JellyBean]

Hats off to Caroline for playing through these injuries last year. She is definitely a fan favorite (at least in my book) and a model of the type of player you want on your team. Glad we got her on our side.

 

[stamfordhusky]

Read that too. However, it’s possible because she was born after the school year.

The reason she is older is because she repeated seventh grade when she transferred to Noble and Greenough. She had to do this due to their rules for transfers.

 

[Alydar]

This means that both Ducharme and Bueckers will be eligible for the 2023 WNBA draft. They both turn 22 in 2023.

This should ruin a few breakfasts tomorrow morning.

 

[Cuango]

Was Geno disrespectful of the Big East?

"Big East coaches are awaiting approval for a proposal that would cut conference games from 20 to 18 starting in 2023-24. “That gives us an opportunity to add two more really good games,” Auriemma said."

Playing two top ten (or even top twenty) teams would be better games than basically any conference games in the country. If Big East teams are going to get their feelings hurt over that, maybe they shouldn’t be playing anything competitive!