Class/roster size

[MilfordHusky]

Some folks are concerned that the roster next year will be too large and some players will be unhappy with not starting or with having limited playing time. But take a look at tonight's game:

Crystal was out with back spasms.

Anna missed about half the game due to a tweaked ankle.

Liv played (again) with a fractured toe.

A large roster is an insurance policy that limits the adverse impact of the injuries we saw tonight. I think Geno will be challenged by the roster size, but he is up for the challenge.

 

[Kaizen]

Some folks are concerned that the roster next year will be too large and some players will be unhappy with not starting or with having limited playing time. But take a look at tonight's game:

Crystal was out with back spasms.

Anna missed about half the game due to a tweaked ankle.

Liv played (again) with a fractured toe.

A large roster is an insurance policy that limits the adverse impact of the injuries we saw tonight. I think Geno will be challenged by the roster size, but he is up for the challenge.

But we have Molly and Kyla .... They don't.

 

[mhshuskies]

Lack of depth that Geno trusted has been the reason for no NC in the past few years. If there was solid depth behind Lou last year UCONN is in the championship game.

 

[HuskylnSC]

5 players graduate 6 players come in. One more player count, but big increase in athleticism. The problem with roster size may be next year when we graduate 1 or 2 players. We have already commitments from 2 players. If we add Ms. Fudd and another (Jersey, Latasha, Payton, Talia, etc) that would mean a roster 11 to 13.

At 13 it becomes unwieldy is all are skilled

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

But we have Molly and Kyla .... They don't.

Actually - you have CD and they don't. One of the comments that Tasha Pointer made at a fan club meeting (back when she was a Rutgers assistant) was that the issue with a larger roster isn't just managing the on-court minutes and expectations (which Geno can do for sure) but the off-court dynamic of 12 - 15 young women of college age. I am sure that Chris can and will handle this area successfully for you guys.

 

[Checkmate 2.0]

Everyone expects a freshman to play like Senior. A Freshman needs time to develop, even if they play 30 minutes a game they are still developing. Next year I think there will be 1 senior, most Championship teams have a good balance of upper and underclassmen.

 

[hoopsdiva]

A large roster is an insurance policy that limits the adverse impact of the injuries we saw tonight. I think Geno will be challenged by the roster size, but he is up for the challenge.

Most players of UConn caliber like to be more than just an insurance policy.

 

[oldude]

Lack of depth that Geno trusted has been the reason for no NC in the past few years. If there was solid depth behind Lou last year UCONN is in the championship game.

I point this out frequently. Baylor won a championship last year using basically 6 players. The year before ND basically used 5 players. Depth is nice, but if I have to choose, I’ll take a really good starting 5 any day.

 

[TerpWomenFan]

I love large roster sizes. It works out great for Stanford because nobody wants to leave there. But for most of the major programs, large rosters are a recipe for mass transfers. Most girls who play for high majors have been playing basketball since 6th to 8th grade and don't want to sit for 4 years in college. But you need the large roster size in case of injuries. Look at Notre Dame championship season for example.

 

[chrissaran]

Four players are leaving after this year. That leaves Olivia, Christyn, Megan, Anna, Aubrey and Evina, plus the recruiting class. Eleven is hardly a large number of players. I remember Breanna recruiting players because that had too few.

 

[Alydar]

Four players are leaving after this year. That leaves Olivia, Christyn, Megan, Anna, Aubrey and Evina, plus the recruiting class. Eleven is hardly a large number of players. I remember Breanna recruiting players because that had too few.

Both Megan and Evina are draft eligible in April 2020. The roster could be Griffin, Williams, ONO, Makurat and the 5 freshmen. Geno may be looking for a grad transfer or 2.

 

[Hayven]

Both Megan and Evina are draft eligible in April 2020. The roster could be Griffin, Williams, ONO, Makurat and the 5 freshmen. Geno may be looking for a grad transfer or 2.

Megan and Evina are not ready for the W

 

[oldude]

Both Megan and Evina are draft eligible in April 2020. The roster could be Griffin, Williams, ONO, Makurat and the 5 freshmen. Geno may be looking for a grad transfer or 2.

That’s an extremely remote possibility. UConn will be Megan’s team next year as a senior. She’s not going anywhere. Evina too has lots of reasons to play next year: winning a championship, developing her game, advancing her draft stock and, perhaps most importantly, a return trip to Knoxville as part of the reviled UConn Huskies WBB team.

 

[mrmojack]

There are always transfers to deal with also.

 

[Alydar]

That’s an extremely remote possibility. UConn will be Megan’s team next year as a senior. She’s not going anywhere. Evina too has lots of reasons to play next year: winning a championship, developing her game, advancing her draft stock and, perhaps most importantly, a return trip to Knoxville as part of the reviled UConn Huskies WBB team.

Two UConn players have had the choice of going pro with eligibility left. Both left. I won't predict anything but both those players said they were staying until they discovered where they would be drafted (and their earning potential outside the US). Whether or not they are ready? I'm not one to know. I hope they both stay and give the freshmen time to learn.

 

[Kaizen]

Both Megan and Evina are draft eligible in April 2020. The roster could be Griffin, Williams, ONO, Makurat and the 5 freshmen. Geno may be looking for a grad transfer or 2.

Megan was born Nov, 1998 and Evina was born Sept. 1998. They are not 22 years old next April 2020.

WNBA: The WNBA "requires players to be at least 22, to have completed their college eligibility, to have graduated from a four-year college or to be four years removed from high school".

 

[Alydar]

Megan was born Nov, 1998 and Evina was born Sept. 1998. They are not 22 years old next April 2020.

WNBA: The WNBA "requires players to be at least 22, to have completed their college eligibility, to have graduated from a four-year college or to be four years removed from high school".

They have to turn 22 in the year they get drafted, not by April of that year.

 

[j66kicker]

Two UConn players have had the choice of going pro with eligibility left. Both left. I won't predict anything but both those players said they were staying until they discovered where they would be drafted (and their earning potential outside the US). Whether or not they are ready? I'm not one to know. I hope they both stay and give the freshmen time to learn.

Pheesa was eligible after 3 years and stayed for her senior year. The 2 who left had each missed a year (Tuck injury, Azurá transfer sit-out year) and had finished school.

 

[oldude]

Two UConn players have had the choice of going pro with eligibility left. Both left. I won't predict anything but both those players said they were staying until they discovered where they would be drafted (and their earning potential outside the US). Whether or not they are ready? I'm not one to know. I hope they both stay and give the freshmen time to learn.

Both players you reference left after 4 years of college with their degrees. If you want to compare Megan & Evina to a UConn player who, as a senior, was age eligible for the WNBA draft, let’s talk about Pheesa who stayed, earned her 3rd AA honors, her 4th straight trip to the FF and then ROY honors when she did decide to enter the W.

 

[Alydar]

Both players you reference left after 4 years of college with their degrees. If you want to compare Megan & Evina to a UConn player who, as a senior, was age eligible for the WNBA draft, let’s talk about Pheesa who stayed, earned her 3rd AA honors, her 4th straight trip to the FF and then ROY honors when she did decide to enter the W.

I'm not trying to argue either way. Just stating that they are both eligible and if they go the roster isn't jammed.

 

[Kaizen]

They have to turn 22 in the year they get drafted, not by April of that year.

Can you name any UConn player turned 22 but not finish 4 years college went to WNBA?

 

[huskyd]

That’s an extremely remote possibility. UConn will be Megan’s team next year as a senior. She’s not going anywhere. Evina too has lots of reasons to play next year: winning a championship, developing her game, advancing her draft stock and, perhaps most importantly, a return trip to Knoxville as part of the reviled UConn Huskies WBB team.

I believe that Evina has 2 seasons of eligibility ahead. She'll certainly play for UConn next year; it's the year after that might see her leave if she stands a good chance of being drafted. That's what happened with Z and, technically, with Morgan as well; they both left with a year of eligibility. No way to predict what will happen in these cases.
As for players who leave because they anticipate little court time, I've always felt that they need to do some calculating. A few seasons ago we had 5 guards come in one class (inc. Gabby and Kia). That group thinned out both quickly and over time. I suspect each recruit feels that her playing time is assured due to her excellence, but Geno may not agree. Lately, a 6'5" player with a pulse was assured court time; a guard, not so much.

 

[Alydar]

Can you name any UConn player turned 22 but not finish 4 years college went to WNBA?

Taurasi - was there 4 years but didn't finish her degree requirements so "didn't finish 4 years of college which is 120 credits for most

 

[oldude]

I'm not trying to argue either way. Just stating that they are both eligible and if they go the roster isn't jammed.

Well if we’re just speculating, what if, in addition to Megan & Evina declaring for the draft, Liv, Christyn, Anna & Aubrey all enter the transfer portal? Then UConn would have to play the whole season with 5 freshmen and no subs.....

 

[Alydar]

Well if we’re just speculating, what if, in addition to Megan & Evina declaring for the draft, Liv, Christyn, Anna & Aubrey all enter the transfer portal? Then UConn would have to play the whole season with 5 freshmen and no subs.....

If you want to speculate that it's OK with me. I was just stating facts. I wasn't speculating. The two I named are eligible for the draft. That's all. My hope is that they do whatever is best for them. Some here seem to only want what's best for the team.

 

[Kaizen]

Taurasi - was there 4 years but didn't finish her degree requirements so "didn't finish 4 years of college which is 120 credits for most

DT finished her 4 years college but completed her degree the year after. I never ask to finish 120 credits nor WNBA in my post. We don't need speculation at this moment.

 

[oldude]

If you want to speculate that it's OK with me. I was just stating facts. I wasn't speculating. The two I named are eligible for the draft. That's all. My hope is that they do whatever is best for them. Some here seem to only want what's best for the team.

The definition of “speculation” is the forming of a theory or conjecture without evidence. What evidence do you have that either Megan or Evina will declare for the draft at the end of this season?

 

[Alydar]

We don't need speculation at this moment.

This site lives on speculation.

 

[Alydar]

The definition of “speculation” is the forming of a theory or conjecture without evidence. What evidence do you have that either Megan or Evina will declare for the draft at the end of this season?

All I said was that they are eligible after posts speculated about the size of next year's roster. Someone said they weren't and I corrected them. Does anyone deny the facts?

 

[Alydar]

Evidence. Both Westbrook and Walker will be eligible for the 2020 WNBA draft. Saying they will or won't is speculation. I said neither.