Caroline Ducharme has a huge chip on her shoulder

[HuskyNan]

Doubters, beware.

Caroline Ducharme, with "huge" chip on shoulder, quietly surprising at UConn

After being overlooked throughout much of the recruiting process, Ducharme is ready to stick it to anyone and everyone who doubted her.

www.theuconnblog.com

Despite the flurry of attention late in her high school career, Ducharme hasn’t forgotten what it felt like to be an afterthought on the recruiting trail. Even though she ended up at UConn, Ducharme still wants to stick it to anyone and everyone that ever questioned her abilities.

“She’s got a huge chip on her shoulder about a lot of things like that,” Auriemma said. “She’s pissed.”

 

[msf22b]

Doubters, beware.

Caroline Ducharme, with "huge" chip on shoulder, quietly surprising at UConn

After being overlooked throughout much of the recruiting process, Ducharme is ready to stick it to anyone and everyone who doubted her.

www.theuconnblog.com

Despite the flurry of attention late in her high school career, Ducharme hasn’t forgotten what it felt like to be an afterthought on the recruiting trail. Even though she ended up at UConn, Ducharme still wants to stick it to anyone and everyone that ever questioned her abilities.

“She’s got a huge chip on her shoulder about a lot of things like that,” Auriemma said. “She’s pissed.”

Really good piece, thx Nan.
So, with all the riches, where does she play...wing?
Practices are going to be fierce.

 

[Go/huskies]

I wonder if Geno was holding out for Brink and Gusters?

 

[Mdoggie]

I wonder if Geno was holding out for Brink and Gusters?

What about the article induced that thought?

 

[DEpup]

Really good piece, thx Nan.
So, with all the riches, where does she play...wing?
Practices are going to be fierce.

I think she gets minutes at the 2-4 depending on the match up. At her size, I could see her even playing a little 4 in BE conference games since typically there aren't a lot of size there. I think she'll end up gravitating towards the 3 most of the time though.

 

[mbr33ct]

I hope that "huge chip" on her shoulder does not interfere with her ability to play.

 

[HuskyNan]

I hope that "huge chip" on her shoulder does not interfere with her ability to play.

Seems to be helping, actually.

‘Yeah, no, I agree with [the comment about the chip on her shoulder],” Ducharme said of Auriemma’s assessment. “I feel like I’ve always been under the radar. I’ve always tried to play with a chip on my shoulder. I’m always trying to prove something. I’m really competitive so I think it just comes out in my play.”

“She’s gonna surprise a lot of people,” Auriemma said. “She’s not afraid. She works on her game constantly. She’s competitive as hell.”

 

[BostonBay]

If she can play the wing with her length & shooting ability & provide some perimeter defense (something this team has lacked), that would be a huge contribution. Anna couldnt do it.

 

[JonathanXIV]

If she can play the wing with her length & shooting ability & provide some perimeter defense (something this team has lacked), that would be a huge contribution. Anna couldnt do it.

Yes, it would be great if Caroline could shoot 41% or better from the 3-point line and be second in the team in assists. Wait, that's what Anna did her freshman year.

 

[JoePgh]

Yes, it would be great if Caroline could shoot 41% or better from the 3-point line and be second in the team in assists. Wait, that's what Anna did her freshman year.

If Caroline Ducharme can make a contribution to the 2021-22 team that is comparable to Anna Makurat's contribution to her freshman year team, she (Caroline Ducharme) will have done all that could be expected, and UConn will be in excellent position to win a 12th National Championship. Hopefully, crossing the state line to play at UConn won't cause her to go 0-for-Connecticut early in the season.

Will she even get the minutes to make that kind of contribution?

 

[Argonaut]

If Caroline Ducharme can make a contribution to the 2021-22 team that is comparable to Anna Makurat's contribution to her freshman year team, she (Caroline Ducharme) will have done all that could be expected, and UConn will be in excellent position to win a 12th National Championship. Hopefully, crossing the state line to play at UConn won't cause her to go 0-for-Connecticut early in the season.

Will she even get the minutes to make that kind of contribution?

She’ll get the minutes if she doesn’t start 0-for-Connecticut.

 

[CL82]

I hope that "huge chip" on her shoulder does not interfere with her ability to play.

Here she is holding it up for the camera.

While it’s quite large, it shouldn’t impede her ability to play.

 

[Aluminny69]

I hope that "huge chip" on her shoulder does not interfere with her ability to play.

You know you are old when this is the first thing you think of:

 

[Waquoit]

If Caroline Ducharme can make a contribution to the 2021-22 team that is comparable to Anna Makurat's contribution to her freshman year team, she (Caroline Ducharme) will have done all that could be expected,

I'm hoping for better, honestly.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

A more in-depth local article with lots of interesting tidbits including changes already made by coaches.


It didn’t take long for Ducharme to realize that the little details on the court don’t get passed over at UConn. Ducharme said her footwork coming off a screen, something she had done “a thousand times in high school,” was corrected by the coaching staff to have her take fewer steps.

Ducharme was receptive to making the changes, including when Auriemma wanted her to tweak her shooting mechanics.

“One time I was just shooting on the side and he comes over and gives me little things on my shot to fix,” Ducharme said. “Things I had never really thought of and coach says it to me, and then you fix it and it makes a huge difference.”

...

Ducharme spends her days working out on the court or in the weight room, an area of focus for her before she heads back to UConn. She feels there’s plenty for her to improve upon on the floor as well. She’s working on a quicker release to her shot and is looking to strengthen her ability to score from a multitude of areas.

Milton's Caroline Ducharme carries chip on her shoulder to UConn women's basketball team

Caroline Ducharme isn't hiding the chip on her shoulder as she gets ready for her freshman season at UConn.

www.patriotledger.com

 

[eebmg]

Nice pickup group Caroline has.

Ducharme refines her skills when she plays a pick-up game at least once a week with other Division 1 college players that hail from the area.

The star-studded group includes her sister Ashley, two-time Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year Veronica Burton (Northwestern), Taylor Soule and Marnelle Garraud of Boston College, Providence College’s Janai Crooms, Sayawni Lassiter of Rutgers, former Holy Cross standout Lauren Manis, University of North Carolina’s Eva Hodgson and Asiah Dingle, a Stoughton native who now plays for Fordham.

 

[oldhusky]

I think she gets minutes at the 2-4 depending on the match up. At her size, I could see her even playing a little 4 in BE conference games since typically there aren't a lot of size there. I think she'll end up gravitating towards the 3 most of the time though.

I think this is pretty accurate. She could play 2-4, and is probably best at the 3. She may be the only natural 3 we have, although we have plenty of guards that could be effective there, and a couple of smaller 4's in Griffin and Mir that could be studs defensively there, but may lack perimeter skills.

At the 2 or 4 there is much less need from a team standpoint with Christyn and Azzi at the 2 and Aaliyah and Aubrey at the 4. But she could be used on rare occasions at the 4 bringing a different spot up perimeter threat to that position.

Overall I see her best realistic chance for some regular minutes would be if Evina starts at the 3 and she gets "some" of the backup minutes there, as perhaps the last player in a rotation of 10. I suspect in order to give both Christyn and Azzi big minutes they both will play some at the 3 as well, which is why I say "some" of the backup minutes there. If they are clearly way better than her then Geno may not use her much at all in big games, relying on Evina, Christyn, and Azzi for all of the 2/3 minutes.

 

[CocoHusky]

I think she gets minutes at the 2-4 depending on the match up. At her size, I could see her even playing a little 4 in BE conference games since typically there aren't a lot of size there. I think she'll end up gravitating towards the 3 most of the time though.

If Caroline is playing the 4 even in garbage time or BE games multiple bad things have probably happened to UCONN. And I'm not just speaking of this up coming season either.