Could a short bench be UConn's downfall?

[huskybill]

I don't seem to recall a short bench ever being our downfall in the past. If we have had great teams and were expected to win generally it's when one or more of our stars gets hurt that does us in. Heck, when we won our first NC in 95 to say we had a short bench would be quite an understatement. We essentially won that tournament with 7 players (And Only 6 playing major minutes). Pam Webber started but Sales usually came in for her quickly and Webber didn't get a lot of minutes particularly as it got deeper into the Tourney.

You seem old enough to remember 1997. Shea got hurt in the first NCAA game. In the regional finals, first Kara then Kesha got 2 fouls in the first half. Geno sat them the rest of the half and we went down over 10. We could never quite catch up in the second half.

 

[easttexastrash]

Conditioning, which seems to be a UCONN specialty, is paramount. These players need to be ready to play 40 minutes. I am not sure that Chong will get many minutes against ND, should that game occur. KML's conditioning will need to improve as you lose too much when Chong or Banks come in to give her a rest.

 

[Tonyc]

First of all UConn shot the ball poorly in the first half against LVille. In the second half when they got it going UConn was up over 20 and then let up. KML was not 100% either. If a couple of key players foul out for UConn or UConn get major injuries they could lose and so could everybody else. The chances of that happening are slim. I will focus on number 9 and let everybody else worry about getting UConn in foul trouble which will take away from their game plan.

 

[ndmb]

You seem old enough to remember 1997. Shea got hurt in the first NCAA game. In the regional finals, first Kara then Kesha got 2 fouls in the first half. Geno sat them the rest of the half and we went down over 10. We could never quite catch up in the second half.

I think the point here is that if any team loses a star player, it could have devastating consequences (as bad as it would be for UConn to have Steward sprain an ankle in March, it'd be far worse for Stanford to lose Ogwumike or Baylor to lose Sims). Obviously, injuries could derail our championship hopes, but the same could be said for any team.

 

[Icebear]

Nothing new. It really isn't worth any attention. We have discussed this ever since the initial injuries. It is the obvious vulnerability given injuries and fouls and the staff and team are managing it to the best of their ability.

 

[UcMiami]

We can always 'lose' - playing a game like the first half against Stanford is always possible, or like the second half against ND in 2001. The line between an NC and going home empty is always pretty thin.
But baring injury or serious foul trouble to a starter this team should win.
And having a 'long' bench really doesn't change the equation. Having highly talented players on the bench is the important factor and with Banks, Chong, and Stokes on the bench we are in pretty good shape. But losing Tuck who was probably the best of the four, certainly the most versatile was a blow.
In any event, if Uconn is in a tightly contested game, Geno is not going to play bench players for many minutes - just enough to give his starters a little rest, and if necessary to protect them from further fouls. That is standard procedure for almost every team Geno has had, and for every other good team. College basketball is not the National team and the drop off in talent for good teams from starters to bench is significant at almost every position. Some years you may have three really good guards, or three good posts, but you seldom have both - and few teams even have five AA caliber starters.

 

[Sonny44]

Win, lose or draw it's much safer to regularly have more scholarship players.

 

[mrmojack]

Win, lose or draw it's much safer to regularly have more scholarship players.

Right, next year we will have 11 or 12 scolly players and that is not counting
walk ons. The competion for minutes will be fierce.

 

[Sonny44]

Right, next year we will have 11 or 12 scolly players and that is not counting
walk ons. The competion for minutes will be fierce.

True, but three have a history of knee or ankle problems or both. Have to figure that in. Could very well wind up being more like 8 or 9 healthy at any particular time, four of which are freshmen. Not ideal, especially in the post.
I'd rather have a couple too many than too few.

 

[tomcat]

To Tonyc's point, the chances of a couple of key players getting in foul trouble is certainly possible. It has come close to happening a couple of times already, against teams less skilled than ND. And ND, you all remember, is better than most at driving inside and flopping to produce fouls. Yes, UConn players are consistently better conditioned than most and yes, all their starters are prepared to play a full 40 minutes in a semifinal or final game, but IMHO all the minutes logged in the course of a year COULD have an effect on their ability to go at 100% for a whole game. Against most teams, UConn's 80% is better than their 100%, but if you add foul trouble to the equation, things could get problematic pretty quickly.

Joe Pgh's observation that with a short bench you cannot press as much as you'd like is something I'd not thought about, but seems right. Fewer players means fewer coaching options. With a team as strong and well-coached as UConn, it won't matter most of the time. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[hoophuskee]

Bench can be a factor. It has shown us that it has been. IMO one big factor of UCONN losing to Notre Dame in 2010-2011 was the fact Dolson got into foul trouble.

 

[Atross]

I think that many of the players that get 2-5 minutes a game should get more in blowout situations of which there are many. I know that the main rotation needs to remain sharp but that would give them the opportunity to rest and not be subject to injury. The other bonus is that the other players would have more game experience. Who knows they could be needed down the road if as everyone says the bench is too short. I look at this way Geno must have saw something in them.

 

[Icebear]

The scholarship players are getting time now, starters and bench. What he saw in the walk ons are kids who can assist in practice when traveling on the road. With less than 10 players it is difficult to simulate opponents when on the road. He did not see players ready to contribute at an elite level. He did see kids with a will to contribute however possible and to compete.

 

[watanabe]

With KML out, the Bench concern has become reality. Wow, who'd of thought this conversation would be so relevant. Scary. This season has just gotten alot more interesting for all of us. Briana, Brianna, Tierney, Saniya and Kiah will be asked for more than they have been. Hope Brianna is doing better, but I've heard she is not heavily involved in practice right now. If she's still questionable, it appears that Kiah and Saniya will have central starting roles with Briana and Tierney playing alot more minutes. We can't get too much shorter on the bench cause there is no more bench.

 

[Icebear]

Shorter by the day. What other teams can't do the moon is taking care of.

 

[pap49cba]

I suddenly wish Ek had decided to enroll a year early...

 

[Fiftyish]

Could a short bench be UConn's downfall?

Short answer (no pun intended)....Yes!

I didn't believe this until the news on KML.

Can they still win it all? You betcha!!

 

[uconnfan68]

Anybody from the boneyard could have written that article. This is news? Get UCONN in foul trouble and you might have a chance? How is UCONN suppsed to get into foul trouble if you don't take the ball to the basket?

We'll just have to see if it's what the writer thinks that "Louisville found something." Or was it UCONN took their foot off the gas becuase of just 6 players and maybe the refs were a little more friendly to Lousiville late after game was decided?

I wonder why Walz said the following, "'Wow. If they're allowed to do a few things on the floor as well as they are right now, then it's tough.'."

What does he mean by "if they're allowed . . ."???????????

palming the ball... based on his tech last game...

 

[Buzzyboy]

I don't seem to recall a short bench ever being our downfall in the past. If we have had great teams and were expected to win generally it's when one or more of our stars gets hurt that does us in. Heck, when we won our first NC in 95 to say we had a short bench would be quite an understatement. We essentially won that tournament with 7 players (And Only 6 playing major minutes). Pam Webber started but Sales usually came in for her quickly and Webber didn't get a lot of minutes particularly as it got deeper into the Tourney.

I remember when we lost Svet and Shea, thus shortening our bench and that contributed to our loss to Notre Dame in the semi finals of the final four the year they won their title. That's where we gave up a double digit lead at halftime and lost by double digits.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

Well, short bench or not, step forward if you would choose to play this team any way any time if you are an opponent that wants/and/or needs to win. Just sayin...

 

[tjhusky]

Would you rather be up 3 points at the end of the game with the ball in your hand or down without the ball?

Would you rather be the top ranked team that has played short handed much of this season and destroyed every team they played, ranked and unranked, or the pack trying to knock us off.

I know my picks.

 

[Icebear]

The issues haven't changed.

 

[tjhusky]

I don't think KLM will be laying down for the next 6 weeks. She can still practice shooting. After a period of rest she should be able to work on conditioning. The big risk with mono is the enlarged pancreas. ,minimally she should be able to come off of the bench in the NCAAs.

Of course a meteor could also hit Gample during practice. That would really mess things up.

 

[Icebear]

I don't think KLM will be laying down for the next 6 weeks. She can still practice shooting. After a period of rest she should be able to work on conditioning. The big risk with mono is the enlarged pancreas. ,minimally she should be able to come off of the bench in the NCAAs.

Of course a meteor could also hit Gample during practice. That would really mess things up.

Enlarged spleen.

 

[Tonyc]

I really don't understand all this pitty party stuff. Teams have problems scoring against our defense. That wont change. We won during the tuffest part of our season without Morgan and KML and we will continue to. Let Geno worry and act surprised when we continue to win. Bottom line there isn't a team in WCBB that can beat us. We may not win everygame by 20+ but that's a lot for any team to overcome even with KML out. Do you honestly think Saniya Kiah and BB are chopped liver. You don't think opponents will leave them open and try to double Breanna???? We will be fine. Remember we have 6 weeks til the FF and then we will be 100% healthy.