Debate: Can Anyone Stop UConn's 3 Peat?

[HGN]

Wow is this argument still going on? I agree with Ice Bear at South Carolina has yet to prove itself in big games and I was under the impression we had decided to wait and see how the season pans out before we decide 'the truth'

Easttexastrash started it !!.....

 

[Tonyc]

How are you going to stop Tiffany Mitchell, Aleighsa Welch, Alaina Coates and A'ja Wilson? We have overwhelming height inside and can go big or small and quick on the perimeter, too. We play in tough arenas on the road every season, including ones a lot bigger than Gampel.

The biggest differences between UConn and USC. 1 UConn doesn't lose. 2 Opponents lose by over 20 pts a game and that's the best teams in WCBB. 3 When you cant stop your opponent from scoring you cant win.

UConn will win by double digits and that's a fact. If UConn continues this season to stay out of foul trouble that will tell you by how much more UConn will win by. This team will not lose a game in the next 2 seasons unless there are key injuries. All the height in the world will not stop UConn. Looking at the past couple of seasons teams with height playing UConn at home lost by double digits. What makes you think USC is that much better then them. USC is really good but not UConn good.

 

[ThisJustIn]

An interesting exercise: If you were to compare this year's South Carolina team to a UConn team, which would it be?

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

How are you going to stop Tiffany Mitchell, Aleighsa Welch, Alaina Coates and A'ja Wilson? We have overwhelming height inside and can go big or small and quick on the perimeter, too. We play in tough arenas on the road every season, including ones a lot bigger than Gampel.

cockhrnleghrn- - I commend you for your loyalty! But there's a time for loyalty and a time for reality! Put the wacky tobacco away! THIS IS A TIME FOR REALITY!
The quickness of Stewart/MoJeff/KML/Tuck/Chong/Stokes/Nurse/Eckmark/Williams & Edwards will frustrate SoCar to tears! They will back door your girls, if they play man-to-man; then if they play zone UCONN will bury them in 3's! UCONN's defense is what will win the game for the Huskies! SoCar will never face a better defense, no matter the opponent!
SoCar has never ever faced the offense & defense UCONN will throw at them! No previous opponent they've faced in the last 2 years has the athletes and coaching staff that your girls will face Feb. 9th and most likely in the FF!
Your quote about SoCar having played in bigger arenas than Gampel is assine! It's NOT the size of the arena, it's what fills the arena! The walls are covered with 24 years of unbelievable success! It's like going to Yankee Stadium and visiting MEMORIAL PARK out in centerfield! It takes your breath away! All the retired #'s, plaques, monuments, banners, of the greatest baseball players that have ever played the game!
You enter Gampel and there's all the Final Fours the Huskies have been to, all the Elite 8's, all the Sweet 16's, all the All-Americans, all the Huskies of Honor, The Conference Championships, AND the 9 NCAA Championship Banners, all the history that has made UCONN the greatest program in WCBB history! No matter what Dawn Staley and the coaches say beforehand, there is no way NOT to be awed by that first experience that is Gampel! And the smaller Gampel is, with 10,000+ seats, fans screaming for 40 full minutes is right on top of the players!
If UCONN can remain illness & injury free by Feb. 9th they will beat SoCar by at least 20 to 25+ points and there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING your girls can do about it!

 

[hoophuskee]

An interesting exercise: If you were to compare this year's South Carolina team to a UConn team, which would it be?

I'd say 07-08. The 07-08 Huskies hadn't made ff in a while leading into the season.

PG - - - - - Swanier vs Sessions
SG ---- Leader of each respective teams- Monty vs Mitchell (Monty was a 1/2 while Micthell is a 2/3)
SG --- Thomas vs ----- Wing -- Dozier
SF---- Greene/Maya/Charde ------------ vs Welch/Wilson -- you can bring up Mitchell and Dozier for a wing.

PF/C -- In terms of physicality -- Charles/Hunter/Mclaren ---- vs Ibiam/Coates/White in terms of phsiciality

PF's that aren't centers that you can bring up to play the postion Maya/Charde vs Wilson (and I'm gessing Welch can play pf in an unconventional way - and or/maybe she can defend certain type of pf's). I get the feeling she can guard nearly anything.

I'm not saying USC is goos as the 07-08 team that started the season - but once we lost Greene and Thomas then it is more direct Monty vs Mitchell. Then it would be Maya/Charde at SF vs whatever sfs USC has. In addtion, Hunter was beast early in the year.

What do you think?

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

cockhrnleghrn- - I commend you for your loyalty! But there's a time for loyalty and a time for reality! Put the wacky tobacco away! THIS IS A TIME FOR REALITY!
The quickness of Stewart/MoJeff/KML/Tuck/Chong/Stokes/Nurse/Eckmark/Williams & Edwards will frustrate SoCar to tears! They will back door your girls, if they play man-to-man; then if they play zone UCONN will bury them in 3's! UCONN's defense is what will win the game for the Huskies! SoCar will never face a better defense, no matter the opponent!
SoCar has never ever faced the offense & defense UCONN will throw at them! No previous opponent they've faced in the last 2 years has the athletes and coaching staff that your girls will face Feb. 9th and most likely in the FF!
Your quote about SoCar having played in bigger arenas than Gampel is assine! It's NOT the size of the arena, it's what fills the arena! The walls are covered with 24 years of unbelievable success! It's like going to Yankee Stadium and visiting MEMORIAL PARK out in centerfield! It takes your breath away! All the retired #'s, plaques, monuments, banners, of the greatest baseball players that have ever played the game!
You enter Gampel and there's all the Final Fours the Huskies have been to, all the Elite 8's, all the Sweet 16's, all the All-Americans, all the Huskies of Honor, The Conference Championships, AND the 9 NCAA Championship Banners, all the history that has made UCONN the greatest program in WCBB history! No matter what Dawn Staley and the coaches say beforehand, there is no way NOT to be awed by that first experience that is Gampel! And the smaller Gampel is, with 10,000+ seats, fans screaming for 40 full minutes is right on top of the players!
If UCONN can remain illness & injury free by Feb. 9th they will beat SoCar by at least 20 to 25+ points and there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING your girls can do about it!

No wacky tobacky for me, but I believe in winning. Period. I never ever expect one of my teams to lose. I don't blame you for being confident, but so am I.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

cockhrnleghrn- - - Right on I, hear you it's about putting the best product on the court, keeping them healthy and seeing how far they can go!
Best of luck to you and SoCar!

 

[JByron21]

How are you going to stop Tiffany Mitchell, Aleighsa Welch, Alaina Coates and A'ja Wilson? We have overwhelming height inside and can go big or small and quick on the perimeter, too. We play in tough arenas on the road every season, including ones a lot bigger than Gampel.

I'm going to keep this quote tucked away for the next few months. See you in February.

 

[Aluminny69]

I'm going to keep this quote tucked away for the next few months. See you in February.

I really hope that's a #1 vs. #2 game. that will bring added interest to the sport, not to mention added pressure to USC.

There's a good chance that the UConn vs. ND game will also be #1 vs. #2.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

I really hope that's a #1 vs. #2 game. that will bring added interest to the sport, not to mention added pressure to USC.

There's a good chance that the UConn vs. ND game will also be #1 vs. #2.

Honestly, I think all the pressure is on UCONN since they're expected to win.

 

[UConnCat]

Honestly, I think all the pressure is on UCONN since they're expected to win.

UConn has done pretty well with that ol' pressure thing. Before this season UConn was ranked preseason #1 nine times and won the national championship in 6 of those seasons. UConn has played in 19 number 1 v number 2 games and its record is 16-3.

 

[hoophuskee]

Honestly, I think all the pressure is on UCONN since they're expected to win.

I think the pressure is mostly on USC. There's a decent chance we'll blow you out on Nat'l TV. Thus your next test will be final four or bust. But you really don't know if you can get there. If you dont't get there you'll have wasted another year and decrease your chances (keep in mind I say "decrease" not "will lose/never get") of landing other top 3 type of recruits in the future. It's the top 3 recruit back-toback or close to one another that makes your team/any team special going forward. Your team is much more likely to feel the pressure.

If you get blown out by us and don't make ff yet again, why would the premier recruits go to your USC? WHy not go to the schools that gets there? And your style - it will be as you say that one of height. Not a super attratcive game to watch fo a kid. You want to use your height against us and pound it inside - you're going to probably look very ugly on Nat'l TV withthat methodical style.

With UCONN - we're going to get to ff without a doubt with our upperclassmen--- barring major injuries. So what's the pressure? The ultimate goal is a title. We'll be there at the ff. You can speak in bravado tongue but really your team has a ton to prove nationally.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

I think the pressure is mostly on USC. There's a decent chance we'll blow you out on Nat'l TV. Thus your next test will be final four or bust. But you really don't know if you can get there. If you dont't get there you'll have wasted another year and decrease your chances (keep in mind I say "decrease" not "will lose/never get") of landing other top 3 type of recruits in the future. It's the top 3 recruit back-toback or close to one another that makes your team/any team special going forward. Your team is much more likely to feel the pressure.

If you get blown out by us and don't make ff yet again, why would the premier recruits go to your USC? WHy not go to the schools that gets there? And your style - it will be as you say that one of height. Not a super attratcive game to watch fo a kid. You want to use your height against us and pound it inside - you're going to probably look very ugly on Nat'l TV withthat methodical style.

With UCONN - we're going to get to ff without a doubt with our upperclassmen--- barring major injuries. So what's the pressure? The ultimate goal is a title. We'll be there at the ff. You can speak in bravado tongue but really your team has a ton to prove nationally.

We can play big or we can run, so it will depend on the opponent. Some of our bigs, like Aleighsa Welch and A'ja Wilson, are pretty good ball handlers, too.

At the rate we're going, this is going to come to fisticuffs by February 9th!

 

[TimeWillTell]

Yes it will be settled on the court. USC has never played a team like UCONN, but maybe Geno will call off the horses early.

Check out my signature...........................that says it all in a nutshell.

 

[UConnCat]

We can play big or we can run, so it will depend on the opponent. Some of our bigs, like Aleighsa Welch and A'ja Wilson, are pretty good ball handlers, too.

South Carolina really didn't run much or very well last season; nor is SC a team that plays at a fast pace. After the loss to Tenn last season Staley mentioned that Tenn forced her team to play at a faster pace than she wanted. I don't see much changing this season if Staley is going to go with a front court of Welch, Wilson and Coates.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

cockhorn, I say, I say, I say son that you have chosen, I say chosen, an appropriate handle...yes sir. Any of this gettin' through to you boy!!

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

cockhorn, I say, I say, I say son that you have chosen, I say chosen, an appropriate handle...yes sir. Any of this gettin' through to you boy!!

My favorite cartoon character.

 

[Nuyoika]

The only way I see us loosing this game is if our guards don't play defense. The problem most teams have is they cannot simulate our defense in practice; therefor, if they have not played us before they are taken off guard and get off to a bad start(and sometimes even if they have played us before). This is why you typically see a double digit + lead for UConn in the first 4 minutes of the game. Some teams then settle in and play a bit better but that is rarely the case. They assume passes that they make against other "tough teams" will work against UConn and they normally don't. I think SCar will definitely attempt to use their size, but in this game it will be much harder for them to get the ball in the paint with Kia and Mo ball hawking (not to mention even up the court if we press). I am interested in seeing the coaching strategies and how they play out. I have spent some time on their site. You can tell they are very young and aren't really use to great success. At one point in a post game interview a player laughed saying something like "We were excited to get to triple digits." in reference to their exhibition game vs Coker. I think if anyone has pressure on them to win this game it's SCar and luckily we will get to see how they handle that in February.

 

[Icebear]

The likelihood of Jefferson, Chong, and Nurse not playing defense approaches an infinitesimally small possibility.

 

[Nuyoika]

The likelihood of Jefferson, Chong, and Nurse not playing defense approaches an infinitesimally small possibility.

Agreed.. Generally speaking at Connecticut, you don't play D you sit the bench.

 

[Tonyc]

I can tell you this. If someone on UConn isn't playing defense they will be sitting. Now name me another team who will sit their star player(s)?

 

[j66kicker]

I can tell you this. If someone on UConn isn't playing defense they will be sitting. Now name me another team who will sit their star player(s)?

LadyVol suspended their class-missing players - for preseason games

 

[mhshuskies]

It's a fairly simple answer: no!

 

[baggerbob]

How are you going to stop Tiffany Mitchell, Aleighsa Welch, Alaina Coates and A'ja Wilson? We have overwhelming height inside and can go big or small and quick on the perimeter, too. We play in tough arenas on the road every season, including ones a lot bigger than Gampel.

A'ja Wilson, and the others might one day be great college players, but Breanna Stewart already is, and KML when healthy is a great player. Moriah was number 2 behind Stewie coming out of High School, and has shown she can play on that level. The biggest difference between Uconn, and South Carolina is: Uconn has been to the Final Four and won, South Carolina hopes to.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

LadyVol suspended their class-missing players - for preseason games

That's like getting a comp day from work on a weekend.