Crystal Dangerfield

[pacific 44]

Great writing Carnac and this is what i think:If Geno had only played his bench plus Lou and Nurse for the entire game,Uconn would have won by 20-25 points Secondly,some of the Bearcats will probably graduate and all of these particular Huskies will return and beat Cinci next year by 50 points.The team that Geno will put on the floor next year will win every league game by a similarly wide margin that they have been.As far as their ooc schedule is concerned,there might be 2-3 stumbles.However, when the rubber meets the road come tournament time,Uconn will have at least as good of a chancce as anyone to win it all.You may see me.I'll be the guy doing cartwheels down your street here in So.Cal if they do.I know there are people on here who criticize talking about next year but i thoroughly enjoyed Geno's peek behind the curtain for a glimpse at next year's folks as starters.They will be infinitely better as a unit next year.Now in less than an hour,the big three will be playing and i am going to savor every moment that we still have them,but we got past Diana,we got past Maya and next year's team will be somewhere between great and really great.Not to worry.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Not a big deal, but I think Geno said that Moriah looked like an escapee from the 7th grade. She is still small and young looking, but she is a one-player wrecking crew who takes over games unlike anyone else her size. Nearly 100 times this season, she has committed petit larceny.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Great writing Carnac and this is what i think:If Geno had only played his bench plus Lou and Nurse for the entire game,Uconn would have won by 20-25 points Secondly,some of the Bearcats will probably graduate and all of these particular Huskies will return and beat Cinci next year by 50 points.The team that Geno will put on the floor next year will win every league game by a similarly wide margin that they have been.As far as their ooc schedule is concerned,there might be 2-3 stumbles.However, when the rubber meets the road come tournament time,Uconn will have at least as good of a chancce as anyone to win it all.You may see me.I'll be the guy doing cartwheels down your street here in So.Cal if they do.I know there are people on here who criticize talking about next year but i thoroughly enjoyed Geno's peek behind the curtain for a glimpse at next year's folks as starters.They will be infinitely better as a unit next year.Now in less than an hour,the big three will be playing and i am going to savor every moment that we still have them,but we got past Diana,we got past Maya and next year's team will be somewhere between great and really great.Not to worry.

Next year will be interesting. Yes, we got past Diana, but we went some years without a title. Getting past Maya wasn't terribly hard because when she graduated in 2011, we were the favorites in the recruiting game for a high school player that some said was talented enough to jump from high school to the WNBA plus her side kicks the #2 and #6 recruits in the country. Not to downplay the coaching staff's importance, but the biggest reason UConn WCBB has been so dominant recently is because we've had the two best players in the country on the team playing together for years. We won titles when we had Maya and Tina, but none when we didn't. We won multiple titles when we had Stewie and Mo, and when we don't next year we shall see what happens, but this might be the end of Geno's dominating run as UConn falls back to one of the pack next season and going forward. Unless we have a Diana, Maya, or Stewie type player on the team, we don't win titles, and there's no one currently on the team or being recruited that's anything like them. We're starting to get a bit of parity in the women's game where the best players don't have just a few schools from which to choose, so the days of one program simply accumulating the best talent and reeling off title after title is probably over.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Not to downplay the coaching staff's importance, but the biggest reason UConn WCBB has been so dominant recently is because we've had the two best players in the country on the team playing together for years.

Geno's actually gonna have to earn his salary next year.

 

[Sonny44]

I like Nurse as much as the next person, even when she's struggling to make shots as she has much of the year, but she's not really a PG. Anyone been watching recently? She struggles against pressure and ball-handling is not her greatest strength. She's better off moving, cutting, and driving. If the team is going to compete for a title next year they'll need several things to happen and one of them is for Dangerfield to take the reigns at some point.

Would be nice, she's got all the skills, but she has to learn Geno's system. We don't have that good a history of integrating kids into starting roles that quickly.

 

[housekeys]

Have not read all the posts, but IMO, the biggest (the first) thing needed from Crystal will be to become the disruptive force and defensive blanket that Mo was these past few years. If we get that from her, that will allow us to get some easy buckets.

 

[UcMiami]

Carnac - great writing for your first nine paragraphs and would have earned a very enthusiastic 'like' had it ended there.

What I saw in the first quarter at Cinci was something very different though. I saw two current starters playing with three players who have been pretty far down the pecking order in terms of minutes for most of the year, trying to figure things out on the fly. Did it look like a well oiled machine - absolutely not, nor would you expect it to. We saw the same issue when Morgan sat out an early game, and when Stewart and Mo each missed a game, and this time around Geno was replacing three starters. We have even seen some early struggles with the regular starting five in the first quarter.

What I took away was some very positive changes to Collier's play, and more ownership from Butler and Samuelson. I think we saw some carry over from that change in the game tonight as well. Next year with out Stewart and Moriah will be a shock and if Morgan leaves that will be even more of a change - but I remain optimistic that the new team next year will be very good and that starting in the fall without the players that leave will create a very different dynamic than artificially doing so in the middle of this season for one quarter of play.

 

[Geno-ista]

If Morgan returns, because of her experience, Kia won't start. She may not start anyway. Crystal could very well start as Sue Bird bird did as a freshman, until she busted her leg in the 8th or 9 the game.(ucla)

Kia won't start for our team next year? Or Kia won't start as point guard?

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

After watching the above video Crystal D has honed her game on MoJeff. A clone!
I think the starters in Nov. will be: Nurse PG, KLS SG, Gabby SF, Collier PF, & Butler C! Geno always likes to bring his freshmen along slowly unless he's definitely lacking in players (see Bria H., Sue B., etc.). But CD2 will eventually earn a starting position, where-in Gabby will go to the bench to give a little juice off the bench to stir offense & defense up! If Saniya is completely healthy she might start at PG, Nurse SG, KLS SF, Collier PF, & Butler C and again Gabby (SF) will be first coming off the bench, this time with CD2 (PG) together!
With Morgan back they'll be a shoe-in for FF+, without Morgan they still look potent enough to go all the way, though closer games! Opponents are all losing a lot also!
Never bet against this coaching staff getting the extra juice out of their players!
Remember they'll still have the best defense in WCBB which will always keep them in the hunt.

 

[hoophuskee]

I would love for anyone that reads this comment to respond with their take on UConn's outlook for next season.

Will Tuck being coming back? If Tuck comes back UCONN can win a championship just as much as anyone else. There will be a couple of teams favored, but UCONN is right there. If no Tuck UCONN is easily in the top 8. I think anyone that doesn't believe that, they are out of their minds. And I wouldn't take ANYTHING out of the Cinci game. KLS and Collier will get the sophomore jump and expect Nurse to be better with rest.

Guards/Wings:

1--- KLS is a mismatch on the floor when she plays offensive wing. Her combination of size, shot-making ability, understanding of the game, she can even get off shots off the dribble and can elevate with jump shots is outstanding. Plus she has terrific vision when it comes to passing. She is a wing that can play the sg and defend not physical power forwards but can defend many that aren't. She'll lead the team in scoring.

2-- I expect Nurse to easily be able to play the pg or sg. Two years ago Lindsay Whelan raved about her. That just didn't magically go away after what she did this summer. I just think 'Team Canada" wore her down a bit. She can score.

3-- Chong needs to be healthy. Whenever she is on the court she looks like no matter who guards her, she has an uncanny ability to score. I'm not expecting all-american - but if healthy - I'm expecting a senior to contribute in a very positive way. She can score.

4---"The Real Danger" I expect her to have an impact more like Bria Hartley than MoJeff. IMO she is different style than MoJeff and very comfortable as a scorer. Even now Geno speaks of MoJeff as a reluctant scorer. 'The Real Danger" will score.

5-- I think Ekmark - another year more experience behind her can play and compete vs top teams as a sg. I think she can do it now.

Guards and wings overall are better than posts. The three point shot has changed the game. If you have good guard play with shooters you are a threat. We'll probably get beat by a post team or two - but experience in the backcourt along with very good talent goes a long way. And teams we play aren't pros.

PF/C

1-- Gabby can compete as a pf and a center. She was doing that vs South Carolina, wasn't she? This will be her 3rd year as a pf. Experience also matters. And she can score.

2-- Collier shoots as a freshmen better than Gabby when she was freshmen. Collier was amazing over the summer as well. Doesn't it stand to reason that her game will make a good jump next year and her shot will improve? She will be able to score.

3-- Butler provides bulk vs the big wide bodied centers or the very long and tall center. Most of the time there will be 4 scorers on the court while Natalie is in. She can score but not as a primary weapon. If she gets the ball less - it means less offensive fouls and less turnovers. But Butler can score and she has size with some agility - though sub-par agility.

4/5 -- Irwin and KLS. Hold the fort playing few minutes - no more than 10 as power forwards and centers.

**What you saw in Cinci means absolutely NOTHING. Right now the offense is designed mostly to get Stewie and Tuck the ball as primary scorers. Right now the defense has no problems by getting beat with Stewie back there. Every one of the players and coaching staff KNOWS they have Stewie for defensive support. The group that was out there - and they don't play in games together often right now are logically out of sync offensively and defensively vs a team that has played many minutes together this season. NEXT YEAR IS A DIFFERENT ANIMAL - DIFFERENT STYLE. Along with coaching differently. They'll learn more when they play together more. Just like any team. What you saw in Cinci MEANS NOTHING.

I don't think some realize how good KLS actually is. And the possibility that Collier can become much much much better as she works on her strength and shooting. She'll have the soph jump. I think we realize Gabby is good but not giving Nurse or Chong etc any love. And look at MoJeff's fresh and soph games - she didn't want to shoot. Then watch how Dangerfield plays. She will be an impact freshman. For anyone to not expect us to be top ten, in part they would have to believe Geno does nothing to help very talented players improve. Thing s will be more even now. It doesn't mean when games are more even that we will lose all the close games. We have a lot of talent. You'll see it grow.

 

[Carnac]

Carnac - great writing for your first nine paragraphs and would have earned a very enthusiastic 'like' had it ended there.

What I saw in the first quarter at Cinci was something very different though. I saw two current starters playing with three players who have been pretty far down the pecking order in terms of minutes for most of the year, trying to figure things out on the fly. Did it look like a well oiled machine - absolutely not, nor would you expect it to. We saw the same issue when Morgan sat out an early game, and when Stewart and Mo each missed a game, and this time around Geno was replacing three starters. We have even seen some early struggles with the regular starting five in the first quarter.

What I took away was some very positive changes to Collier's play, and more ownership from Butler and Samuelson. I think we saw some carry over from that change in the game tonight as well. Next year with out Stewart and Moriah will be a shock and if Morgan leaves that will be even more of a change - but I remain optimistic that the new team next year will be very good and that starting in the fall without the players that leave will create a very different dynamic than artificially doing so in the middle of this season for one quarter of play.

OK UcMiami, I hope you're right.

 

[HGN]

I think Saniya will be the PG next year......The Dangerous One will serve an apprenticeship as backup. Danger is good but Geno will let the fuze burn a year as backup and watch her explode the following year after a year coming off the bench.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Opponents are all losing a lot also!

Most of the top competition isn't losing much at all. Notre Dame will be loaded. SC loses Mitchell but brings in Gray and Davis. Baylor, if it can find a PG, will be loaded. Ohio State is stocked with young talent and playmakers. Maryland is very strong and retains most of their best players. Louisville and Texas have lots of talented underclassmen. Of all the top 8ish teams, the Huskies are easily losing the most, and by a country mile if Tuck goes.

 

[connboy77]

Most of the top competition isn't losing much at all. Notre Dame will be loaded. SC loses Mitchell but brings in Gray and Davis. Baylor, if it can find a PG, will be loaded. Ohio State is stocked with young talent and playmakers. Maryland is very strong and retains most of their best players. Louisville and Texas have lots of talented underclassmen. Of all the top 8ish teams, the Huskies are easily losing the most, and by a country mile if Tuck goes.

I think you need to have a little more faith! Next year UCONN will be good, very good, like top five good. The jump that Gabby made between her first and second year is going to happen again. Not only will she be improved next year, but so will KLS, Collier, Kia, and Natalie. Also Crystal is a given, but UCONN Fans are going to be very happy with Bent and Irwin.

 

[bags27]

hoophuskee's analysis above is profound and acute: there will be pretty spectacular talent on the floor next year. Right: all the parts might not fit well enough for a NC, but that can't be the measure of a successful season every year. Sometimes you just have to admire a team playing its best, and next year's team promises to be really interesting and you know with our coaching it will, indeed, play its best. My favorite all-time men's team was the early 1960s St. Joseph Hawks under the inimitable Jack Ramsay (whom Geno asked to introduce him when inducted into the Hall of Fame). They never had the talent to win a NC, but remain an inspiration and a joy to behold to anyone who loves the game played right.

 

[hoophuskee]

hoophuskee's analysis above is profound and acute: there will be pretty spectacular talent on the floor next year. Right: all the parts might not fit well enough for a NC, but that can't be the measure of a successful season every year. Sometimes you just have to admire a team playing its best, and next year's team promises to be really interesting and you know with our coaching it will, indeed, play its best. My favorite all-time men's team was the early 1960s St. Joseph Hawks under the inimitable Jack Ramsay (whom Geno asked to introduce him when inducted into the Hall of Fame). They never had the talent to win a NC, but remain an inspiration and a joy to behold to anyone who loves the game played right.

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just think sometimes there becomes so much fear of the opponent as if the opposing team is stacked with pro players/ and or/ unreal super players. For example

"what happens if UCONN faces a team that can press UCONN the full game while having bigs that can rebound very well both defensively and offensively and the team has very good shooters that can hit the outside 3pt shot very well in order to open up the game for their fine big power posts?"

Are we playing the Minnesota Lynx???!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[UcMiami]

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just think sometimes there becomes so much fear of the opponent as if the opposing team is stacked with pro players/ and or/ unreal super players. For example

"what happens if UCONN faces a team that can press UCONN the full game while having bigs that can rebound very well both defensively and offensively and the team has very good shooters that can hit the outside 3pt shot very well in order to open up the game for their fine big power posts?"

Are we playing the Minnesota Lynx???!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I loved a comment by Geno when asked about early days and being the 'hunter' vs. currently always being the 'hunted' - he says he definitely prefers the former because you go into games going 'ok, we're going to do this, this, and this, and they are going to be completely surprised and have no answer for it. Now as the hunted he goes into games going 'oh god, if they do this, this, and this how are we going to respond!'
That is basically the same thing you are talking about from a fan perspective - we imagine a team hitting 60% from three, while also owning us in the paint, and Moriah and Stewart getting out of the bed on the wrong side, and Tuck getting three fouls in the first two minutes, and Lou forgetting to pack her shoes and trying to play wearing Lawlor's, and ... !!! And then we wake up screaming, and can't get back to sleep again for hours!

 

[TheGOAT23]

Do they use a smaller ball in high school?

They use the 28.5 inch women's ball in high school and college for the ladies.

 

[TheGOAT23]

Most of the top competition isn't losing much at all. Notre Dame will be loaded. SC loses Mitchell but brings in Gray and Davis. Baylor, if it can find a PG, will be loaded. Ohio State is stocked with young talent and playmakers. Maryland is very strong and retains most of their best players. Louisville and Texas have lots of talented underclassmen. Of all the top 8ish teams, the Huskies are easily losing the most, and by a country mile if Tuck goes.

Notre Dame is losing veteran leadership in Cable and Mabrey 1.0 and the toughness of Huffman. S.C. is losing 4 guards, which includes Mitchell (former SEC Player of the year) and Sessions who's a nightmare for guards not named MoJeff. They do bring in Gray and Davis, but I don't see them as leaders at this point. As you stated, Baylor will need to find a floor general to lead their loaded roster. On paper, Ohio State looks like the GS Warriors. It remains to be seen if they can play together and produce on the court. Maryland will be strong with their incoming class and Louisville should be mentioned as well.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Notre Dame is losing veteran leadership in Cable and Mabrey 1.0 and the toughness of Huffman. S.C. is losing 4 guards, which includes Mitchell (former SEC Player of the year) and Sessions who's a nightmare for guards not named MoJeff. They do bring in Gray and Davis, but I don't see them as leaders at this point. As you stated, Baylor will need to find a floor general to lead their loaded roster. On paper, Ohio State looks like the GS Warriors. It remains to be seen if they can play together and produce on the court. Maryland will be strong with their incoming class and Louisville should be mentioned as well.

Huffman is tough but in the grand scheme of things isn't a difference maker and the older Mabrey is not a big loss, imo. Cable's had an excellent year but she's replaceable. They were the second best team in the nation for two years before Cable broke out this season.

Leadership is an immeasurable thing, talent isn't. And South Carolina will have plenty of the latter. We'll see how they gel.

Baylor might have to play a bit differently but they will be loaded with talent. UConn has to find its own PG/floor general too.

Ohio State is crushing teams now. Besides the one blowout loss to UConn they've lost three close games, two of them to the #2 and #3 teams in the country on the road. Their top-5 will probably be as talented as any in the nation next year and they have potential impact freshmen as well.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Geno's actually gonna have to earn his salary next year.

Yes. UConn will be lacking a powerful front court, and missing a commanding presence in the post. I'm sure KLS will improve her shooting, and will develop her all-around game. Gabby will be Gabby, the teams' spark plug. Crystal should play well, and a recovered and rejuvenated Saniya should also help. But Natalie is not Tina, or Kia, or Steph. And you need a big presence in the post to win all the marbles. South Carolina has that. So, too, will Baylor and Texas. Louisville will have everyone back from the team that hasn't lost to anyone but ND, and that game narrowly, in 19 games. Ohio State, should the coach figure out a way to juggle egos, could be fearsome. Notre Dame will be even stronger than this year.

So I'm figuring that Connecticut begins next season ranked 5th. If Geno takes his team to the FF or further, it will be pure coaching genius. If he goes far next year, it will be one of his greatest coaching performances in his career.

 

[hoophuskee]

Huffman is tough but in the grand scheme of things isn't a difference maker and the older Mabrey is not a big loss, imo. Cable's had an excellent year but she's replaceable. They were the second best team in the nation for two years before Cable broke out this season.

Leadership is an immeasurable thing, talent isn't. And South Carolina will have plenty of the latter. We'll see how they gel.

Baylor might have to play a bit differently but they will be loaded with talent. UConn has to find its own PG/floor general too.

Ohio State is crushing teams now. Besides the one blowout loss to UConn they've lost three close games, two of them to the #2 and #3 teams in the country on the road. Their top-5 will probably be as talented as any in the nation next year and they have potential impact freshmen as well.

UCONN has their pg's. Nurse can play pg. I think you are wrong about her - so we can agree to disagree here. IMO you are being way too conservative questioning her ability as a pg. And from what I have seen - I expect Dangerfield to be an impact player early on. IMO she is more of a scorer like Hartley so she won't get tangled in thoguht "should I pass or shouldn't I" which imo plague MJ early on.

IN the few minutes Chong has played -- made some big plays in certain situations and I think anyone that has been watching her lately, she seems to be able to score pretty easily - and next year we'll need scoring. I see UCONN's backcourt counting KLS as a wing as being strong next year.

BTW- I just found some stats- KLS is now 27-70 from 3 in her last 12. If she starts knocking down three's next year at a bit over 40% -- how good do you think she'll be?

 

[Carnac]

Notre DameMost of the top competition isn't losing much at all. Notre Dame will be loaded. SC loses Mitchell but brings in Gray and Davis. Baylor, if it can find a PG, will be loaded. Ohio State is stocked with young talent and playmakers. Maryland is very strong and retains most of their best players. Louisville and Texas have lots of talented underclassmen. Of all the top 8ish teams, the Huskies are easily losing the most, and by a country mile if Tuck goes.

Thanks to all of you that responded with your takes on my comment. All of you saw the game differently than I did. That's OK. I just did not like what I saw regardless of the composition of the unit. I'm really not concerned about the Cincinnati's of the world next season. I'm more concerned about the Baylors, the Notre Dames, the Louisvilles and the South Carolinas, because most of them are not losing that much, and will be extremely formidable.

I looked at that starting unit an wondered: if they're struggling against a sub 500 team like The Bearcats, how would they fare against a more formidable team. I was amused when all of the respondents suggested that I was seeing "ghosts", and that my concerns were completely groundless. I sure hope you guys are right.

I totally agree with bags27 that: "a NC can't be the measure of a successful season every year". I'm not suggesting that next season should be a NC or bust. I'm going to enjoy next season no matter what. But as another poster suggested, Geno is going to earn his salary next season.

How many of you think that when the BIG 3 leave, they take with them a lot of this team's "bite" and swag?
Will the fear factor that UConn now enjoys in the psyche of their opponents, leave with them also?

You may say that not all teams fear UConn now, and you'd be right. But there are a lot of teams that do, and have refused to play (schedule) UConn in the pre-conference portions of their schedules, because they know their chances of winning would almost be nil.

Again, I suggest to all that no team wants (or looks forward) to be in UConn's regional THIS YEAR. Most teams would rather take their chances in any other regional except the "Bridgeport Regional". This is similar to most folks NOT wanting to take an extended "unguided" tour of a large neglected graveyard and mausoleum complex in an isolated town at 1:00 am, without any flashlights or other light emitting devises. A graveyard that also has a dubious reputation due to years of reports from several locals of seeing what appeared to be "apparitions" about the grounds.

I think you would ALL agree that a lot of teams would love to hang an "L" in UConn's win-loss record, regardless of the team's personnel composition (especially Notre Dame). I'll take the thoughts and comments you've posted here, and will ponder them over the summer.

The team goal for next season of course will not change: Ask no quarter and give none. Prepare and dedicate yourself to get better every day. Be unselfish. Play hard and play together. Play for each other, and most importantly, focus on winning the last 6 games of the season.

We'll see what kind of team we have next season at the Christmas break. Enough games will have been played by then against enough ranked and formidable competition, enabling us to reach an intelligent and informed opinion. As I said before, I sure hope you folks are right. I'd have no problem being wrong on this on.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

UCONN has their pg's. Nurse can play pg. I think you are wrong about her - so we can agree to disagree here. IMO you are being way too conservative questioning her ability as a pg.

It's possible, but she doesn't strike me as comfortable in the ball-handling role and, being that she's pretty big, doesn't move all that quickly for the role either.

IN the few minutes Chong has played -- made some big plays in certain situations and I think anyone that has been watching her lately, she seems to be able to score pretty easily - and next year we'll need scoring. I see UCONN's backcourt counting KLS as a wing as being strong next year.

I wish I had more faith in Chong. Unless proven otherwise, and that's always a possibility, I don't see her as more than a nice backup.

BTW- I just found some stats- KLS is now 27-70 from 3 in her last 12. If she starts knocking down three's next year at a bit over 40% -- how good do you think she'll be?

Very good, obviously. At some point that confidence factor light bulb will likely go on and she'll take a leap into stardom, hopefully by next year.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Incidentally, you can listen to Dangerfield and Blackman attempt to win their district title tonight about 7:30 central at this link:

http://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/index.cfm?stationCallSign=WGNS&retry=true