Depth Perspectives

[BfromCT]

The Huskies’ rash of injuries and two transfers that have made a mockery of the contention by so many of us that the team was 9-10 deep. One can make the argument that the injuries to Anna Makurat and Nika Mühl last season cost UConn its 12th championship, but this is the first time in some 20 years that the team has lost a player of All-American caliber for such an extended period. Think back. The undefeated 1996-97 UConn team’s hopes for its second championship collapsed with the knee of Shea Ralph. The following season Nykesha Sales suffered her ACL in the last home game of the regular season. In 2001, two All-Americans suffered season ending injuries - Svetlana Abrosimova and Shea Ralph. And there have been other serious ones, like Sue Bird in her freshman season, or the career of Caroline Doty ruined by multiple knee problems, or Nicole Wolff who started her first game at UConn at point and was never the same after a season ending one in her freshman year, and there are other examples one could cite.

Still, I think it might be useful to summarize depth and injuries for the last quarter century. The following table is pretty much self explanatory and injured players are in bold.

Year Rotation
1995 - NC 7 (Lobo, Webber, Elliott, Rizzotti, Berube, Wolters, Sales)
1996 - FF 6 (Elliott, Rizzotti, Berube, Wolters, Sales, Duran)
1997 - 8 7 (Berube, Wolters, Sales, R. Williams, Duran, Ralph, Sauer)
1998 - 8 6 (5) (Sales, R. Williams, Duran, Hansmeyer, Sauer, Abrosimova)
1999 - 16 8 (7) (Duran, Hansmeyer, Sauer, Abrosimova, Bird, Cash, Jones, T. Williams)
2000 - NC 10 (Hansmeyer, Sauer, Abrosimova, Ralph, Schumacher, Bird, Cash, Jones
Williams, Johnson)
2001 - FF 9 (7) Abrosimova, Ralph, Schumacher, Bird, Jones, Cash, Williams, Johnson, Taurasi)
2002 - NC 6 (Bird, Cash, Jones, Williams, Taurasi, Battle)
2003 - NC 8 (7) (Conlon, Taurasi, Battle, Moore, Crockett, Strother, Turner, Wolff)
2004 - NC 8 (Conlon, Taurasi, M. Valley, Battle, Moore, Crockett, Strother, Turner)
2005 - 16 7 (Battle, Moore, Crockett, Strother, Turner, Houston, Thomas)
2006 - 8 8 (Crockett, Strother, Turner, Houston, Hunter, Thomas, Swanier, Montgomery)
2007 - 8 8 (Houston, Hunter, Swanier, Thomas, Montgomery, Greene, Charles, McLaren)
2008 - FF 10 (8) (Houston, Hunter, Swanier, Thomas, McLaren, Montgomery, Charles, Greene, Dixon, Moore)
2009 - NC 8 (7) (Montgomery, Charles, Greene, McLaren, Dixon, Hayes, Moore, Doty)
2010 - NC 8 (Charles, Greene, McLaren, Dixon, Moore, Hayes, Doty, Faris)
2011 - FF 7 (6) (Dixon, Moore, Doty, Hayes, Faris, Dolson, Hartley)
2012 - FF 7 (Hayes, Doty, Faris, Dolson, Hartley, KML, Stokes)
2013 - NC 9 (Doty, Faris, Dolson, Hartley, KML, Stokes, Jefferson, Stewart, Tuck)
2014 - NC 7 (Dolson, Hartley, Banks, KML, Stokes, Jefferson, Stewart,Tuck)
2015 - NC 8 (KML, Stokes, Jefferson, Stewart. Tuck, Chong, Nurse, Williams)
2016 - NC 8 (Jefferson, Stewart, Tuck, Chong, Nurse, Williams, Collier, Samuelson)
2017 - FF 6 (Chong, Nurse, Williams, Collier, Samuelson, Dangerfield)
2018 - FF 7 (Nurse, Williams, Collier, Samuelson, Stevens, Dangerfield, Walker)
2019 - FF 6 (Collier, Samuelson, Dangerfield, Walker, ODO, C. Williams)
2020 - 6 (Dangerfield, Walker, ODO, Williams, Griffin, Makurat)
2021 - FF 8 (6) (ODO, Williams, Westbrook, Griffin, Makurat, Bueckers, Edwards, Mühl)

As a rule, the greater the depth the better chances of grabbing the gold ring. Of the team’s 11 national championships, 10 had rotations of at least 7. The outlier is 2002 when the Huskies had an exceptional starting 5. The extent of the rotation is, of course, not the sole factor, particularly when one thinks of the results in 2017 and 2018, last second shots in overtime.

Given the depth of South Carolina and Stanford, it will be a steep climb for UConn even with the return of the walking wounded and perhaps without Bueckers at peak play. The team may be able to win its Sweet Sixteen game, but a further advance appears unlikely.

 

[Kaizen]

Even with the return of the walking wounded and perhaps without Bueckers at peak play. The team may be able to win its Sweet Sixteen game, but a further advance appears unlikely.

Disagree. If Paige, Azzi, Nika and Aubrey all come back healthy in March UConn will have the chance for NC.

 

[CocoHusky]

You are missing a few significant injuries which impacted depth.

Bria Hartley had to be shut during the 2012-13 season with a significant ankle injury.
Brianna Banks in 2012-13 with an ACL prior to being injured she was a significant contributor.
Saniya Chong developed an IT band injury towards the latter part of the 2013-14 season which caused Geno to shorten the rotation in the tournament. The Championship game against ND was particular telling Dolson, Stewie, KML, MoJeff played 38, 39,39, 38 minutes.
Natalie Butler had a significant thumb injury which caused her to miss the first 10 games of 2015-2016 season.
Natalie never recovered from that injury

 

[Rb335]

Interesting read, and interesting to see how lucky we've been with injuries over the years. Not sure what the criteria was to be listed as an injured player, but it seems like you captured most of the season ending ones.

Our current team is riddled with injuries, but at this point, not every injury is season ending. The current roster is just one iteration of what we will see this year. We didn't look this way at the beginning of the season, and won't look this way at the end of the season. Until we get healthy, it's going to be impossible to predict what we will look like, or how easy/difficult advancing in the tournament will be.

For those optimists, we did play Louisville pretty close. One must think that getting a couple players back will put us back into the upper echelon of teams.

 

[tchalla1]

Disagree. If Paige, Azzi, Nika and Aubrey all come back healthy in March UConn will have the chance for NC.

The Huskies’ rash of injuries and two transfers that have made a mockery of the contention by so many of us that the team was 9-10 deep. One can make the argument that the injuries to Anna Makurat and Nika Mühl last season cost UConn its 12th championship, but this is the first time in some 20 years that the team has lost a player of All-American caliber for such an extended period. Think back. The undefeated 1996-97 UConn team’s hopes for its second championship collapsed with the knee of Shea Ralph. The following season Nykesha Sales suffered her ACL in the last home game of the regular season. In 2001, two All-Americans suffered season ending injuries - Svetlana Abrosimova and Shea Ralph. And there have been other serious ones, like Sue Bird in her freshman season, or the career of Caroline Doty ruined by multiple knee problems, or Nicole Wolff who started her first game at UConn at point and was never the same after a season ending one in her freshman year, and there are other examples one could cite.

Still, I think it might be useful to summarize depth and injuries for the last quarter century. The following table is pretty much self explanatory and injured players are in bold.

Year Rotation
1995 - NC 7 (Lobo, Webber, Elliott, Rizzotti, Berube, Wolters, Sales)
1996 - FF 6 (Elliott, Rizzotti, Berube, Wolters, Sales, Duran)
1997 - 8 7 (Berube, Wolters, Sales, R. Williams, Duran, Ralph, Sauer)
1998 - 8 6 (5) (Sales, R. Williams, Duran, Hansmeyer, Sauer, Abrosimova)
1999 - 16 8 (7) (Duran, Hansmeyer, Sauer, Abrosimova, Bird, Cash, Jones, T. Williams)
2000 - NC 10 (Hansmeyer, Sauer, Abrosimova, Ralph, Schumacher, Bird, Cash, Jones
Williams, Johnson)
2001 - FF 9 (7) Abrosimova, Ralph, Schumacher, Bird, Jones, Cash, Williams, Johnson, Taurasi)
2002 - NC 6 (Bird, Cash, Jones, Williams, Taurasi, Battle)
2003 - NC 8 (7) (Conlon, Taurasi, Battle, Moore, Crockett, Strother, Turner, Wolff)
2004 - NC 8 (Conlon, Taurasi, M. Valley, Battle, Moore, Crockett, Strother, Turner)
2005 - 16 7 (Battle, Moore, Crockett, Strother, Turner, Houston, Thomas)
2006 - 8 8 (Crockett, Strother, Turner, Houston, Hunter, Thomas, Swanier, Montgomery)
2007 - 8 8 (Houston, Hunter, Swanier, Thomas, Montgomery, Greene, Charles, McLaren)
2008 - FF 10 (8) (Houston, Hunter, Swanier, Thomas, McLaren, Montgomery, Charles, Greene, Dixon, Moore)
2009 - NC 8 (7) (Montgomery, Charles, Greene, McLaren, Dixon, Hayes, Moore, Doty)
2010 - NC 8 (Charles, Greene, McLaren, Dixon, Moore, Hayes, Doty, Faris)
2011 - FF 7 (6) (Dixon, Moore, Doty, Hayes, Faris, Dolson, Hartley)
2012 - FF 7 (Hayes, Doty, Faris, Dolson, Hartley, KML, Stokes)
2013 - NC 9 (Doty, Faris, Dolson, Hartley, KML, Stokes, Jefferson, Stewart, Tuck)
2014 - NC 7 (Dolson, Hartley, Banks, KML, Stokes, Jefferson, Stewart,Tuck)
2015 - NC 8 (KML, Stokes, Jefferson, Stewart. Tuck, Chong, Nurse, Williams)
2016 - NC 8 (Jefferson, Stewart, Tuck, Chong, Nurse, Williams, Collier, Samuelson)
2017 - FF 6 (Chong, Nurse, Williams, Collier, Samuelson, Dangerfield)
2018 - FF 7 (Nurse, Williams, Collier, Samuelson, Stevens, Dangerfield, Walker)
2019 - FF 6 (Collier, Samuelson, Dangerfield, Walker, ODO, C. Williams)
2020 - 6 (Dangerfield, Walker, ODO, Williams, Griffin, Makurat)
2021 - FF 8 (6) (ODO, Williams, Westbrook, Griffin, Makurat, Bueckers, Edwards, Mühl)

As a rule, the greater the depth the better chances of grabbing the gold ring. Of the team’s 11 national championships, 10 had rotations of at least 7. The outlier is 2002 when the Huskies had an exceptional starting 5. The extent of the rotation is, of course, not the sole factor, particularly when one thinks of the results in 2017 and 2018, last second shots in overtime.

Given the depth of South Carolina and Stanford, it will be a steep climb for UConn even with the return of the walking wounded and perhaps without Bueckers at peak play. The team may be able to win its Sweet Sixteen game, but a further advance appears unlikely.

Excellent research-- although I do believe Nykesha Sales' season ending injury was due to a ruptured Achilles, not an ACL...

 

[tomcat]

I think BYers have to be careful of their emotions when dealing with this topic. If you make any accusations about anything, you might be accused of leveling...
...depth charges.

Just sayin'.

 

[Cuango]

The Huskies’ rash of injuries and two transfers that have made a mockery of the contention by so many of us that the team was 9-10 deep. One can make the argument that the injuries to Anna Makurat and Nika Mühl last season cost UConn its 12th championship, but this is the first time in some 20 years that the team has lost a player of All-American caliber for such an extended period. Think back. The undefeated 1996-97 UConn team’s hopes for its second championship collapsed with the knee of Shea Ralph. The following season Nykesha Sales suffered her ACL in the last home game of the regular season. In 2001, two All-Americans suffered season ending injuries - Svetlana Abrosimova and Shea Ralph. And there have been other serious ones, like Sue Bird in her freshman season, or the career of Caroline Doty ruined by multiple knee problems, or Nicole Wolff who started her first game at UConn at point and was never the same after a season ending one in her freshman year, and there are other examples one could cite.

Still, I think it might be useful to summarize depth and injuries for the last quarter century. The following table is pretty much self explanatory and injured players are in bold.

Year Rotation
1995 - NC 7 (Lobo, Webber, Elliott, Rizzotti, Berube, Wolters, Sales)
1996 - FF 6 (Elliott, Rizzotti, Berube, Wolters, Sales, Duran)
1997 - 8 7 (Berube, Wolters, Sales, R. Williams, Duran, Ralph, Sauer)
1998 - 8 6 (5) (Sales, R. Williams, Duran, Hansmeyer, Sauer, Abrosimova)
1999 - 16 8 (7) (Duran, Hansmeyer, Sauer, Abrosimova, Bird, Cash, Jones, T. Williams)
2000 - NC 10 (Hansmeyer, Sauer, Abrosimova, Ralph, Schumacher, Bird, Cash, Jones
Williams, Johnson)
2001 - FF 9 (7) Abrosimova, Ralph, Schumacher, Bird, Jones, Cash, Williams, Johnson, Taurasi)
2002 - NC 6 (Bird, Cash, Jones, Williams, Taurasi, Battle)
2003 - NC 8 (7) (Conlon, Taurasi, Battle, Moore, Crockett, Strother, Turner, Wolff)
2004 - NC 8 (Conlon, Taurasi, M. Valley, Battle, Moore, Crockett, Strother, Turner)
2005 - 16 7 (Battle, Moore, Crockett, Strother, Turner, Houston, Thomas)
2006 - 8 8 (Crockett, Strother, Turner, Houston, Hunter, Thomas, Swanier, Montgomery)
2007 - 8 8 (Houston, Hunter, Swanier, Thomas, Montgomery, Greene, Charles, McLaren)
2008 - FF 10 (8) (Houston, Hunter, Swanier, Thomas, McLaren, Montgomery, Charles, Greene, Dixon, Moore)
2009 - NC 8 (7) (Montgomery, Charles, Greene, McLaren, Dixon, Hayes, Moore, Doty)
2010 - NC 8 (Charles, Greene, McLaren, Dixon, Moore, Hayes, Doty, Faris)
2011 - FF 7 (6) (Dixon, Moore, Doty, Hayes, Faris, Dolson, Hartley)
2012 - FF 7 (Hayes, Doty, Faris, Dolson, Hartley, KML, Stokes)
2013 - NC 9 (Doty, Faris, Dolson, Hartley, KML, Stokes, Jefferson, Stewart, Tuck)
2014 - NC 7 (Dolson, Hartley, Banks, KML, Stokes, Jefferson, Stewart,Tuck)
2015 - NC 8 (KML, Stokes, Jefferson, Stewart. Tuck, Chong, Nurse, Williams)
2016 - NC 8 (Jefferson, Stewart, Tuck, Chong, Nurse, Williams, Collier, Samuelson)
2017 - FF 6 (Chong, Nurse, Williams, Collier, Samuelson, Dangerfield)
2018 - FF 7 (Nurse, Williams, Collier, Samuelson, Stevens, Dangerfield, Walker)
2019 - FF 6 (Collier, Samuelson, Dangerfield, Walker, ODO, C. Williams)
2020 - 6 (Dangerfield, Walker, ODO, Williams, Griffin, Makurat)
2021 - FF 8 (6) (ODO, Williams, Westbrook, Griffin, Makurat, Bueckers, Edwards, Mühl)

As a rule, the greater the depth the better chances of grabbing the gold ring. Of the team’s 11 national championships, 10 had rotations of at least 7. The outlier is 2002 when the Huskies had an exceptional starting 5. The extent of the rotation is, of course, not the sole factor, particularly when one thinks of the results in 2017 and 2018, last second shots in overtime.

Given the depth of South Carolina and Stanford, it will be a steep climb for UConn even with the return of the walking wounded and perhaps without Bueckers at peak play. The team may be able to win its Sweet Sixteen game, but a further advance appears unlikely.

If Paige is healthy (and the rest of the team of course) I will be absolutely gobsmacked if we don’t at least play for the FF! I’m prepared to say we could possibly see the FF streak broken ( (I doubt it though) but only, imo, if the team hasn’t had time to gel after the return of the injured players.

 

[billnaples]

Not at all agreeable to the notion that the rotation, if no transfers or injuries, would have grown to 9-10. Fairly rare in the 35 years of Geno has it been more than 7 or 8. The original roster of 14 was never going to produce significant minutes to the bottom 6 and absolutely not in the tourney. I think that a roster of 10-11 would seem to provide some depth for injury or health that would be more fitting. Or so it goes.

 

[bballnut90]

The Huskies’ rash of injuries and two transfers that have made a mockery of the contention by so many of us that the team was 9-10 deep. One can make the argument that the injuries to Anna Makurat and Nika Mühl last season cost UConn its 12th championship, but this is the first time in some 20 years that the team has lost a player of All-American caliber for such an extended period. Think back. The undefeated 1996-97 UConn team’s hopes for its second championship collapsed with the knee of Shea Ralph. The following season Nykesha Sales suffered her ACL in the last home game of the regular season. In 2001, two All-Americans suffered season ending injuries - Svetlana Abrosimova and Shea Ralph. And there have been other serious ones, like Sue Bird in her freshman season, or the career of Caroline Doty ruined by multiple knee problems, or Nicole Wolff who started her first game at UConn at point and was never the same after a season ending one in her freshman year, and there are other examples one could cite.

Still, I think it might be useful to summarize depth and injuries for the last quarter century. The following table is pretty much self explanatory and injured players are in bold.

Year Rotation
1995 - NC 7 (Lobo, Webber, Elliott, Rizzotti, Berube, Wolters, Sales)
1996 - FF 6 (Elliott, Rizzotti, Berube, Wolters, Sales, Duran)
1997 - 8 7 (Berube, Wolters, Sales, R. Williams, Duran, Ralph, Sauer)
1998 - 8 6 (5) (Sales, R. Williams, Duran, Hansmeyer, Sauer, Abrosimova)
1999 - 16 8 (7) (Duran, Hansmeyer, Sauer, Abrosimova, Bird, Cash, Jones, T. Williams)
2000 - NC 10 (Hansmeyer, Sauer, Abrosimova, Ralph, Schumacher, Bird, Cash, Jones
Williams, Johnson)
2001 - FF 9 (7) Abrosimova, Ralph, Schumacher, Bird, Jones, Cash, Williams, Johnson, Taurasi)
2002 - NC 6 (Bird, Cash, Jones, Williams, Taurasi, Battle)
2003 - NC 8 (7) (Conlon, Taurasi, Battle, Moore, Crockett, Strother, Turner, Wolff)
2004 - NC 8 (Conlon, Taurasi, M. Valley, Battle, Moore, Crockett, Strother, Turner)
2005 - 16 7 (Battle, Moore, Crockett, Strother, Turner, Houston, Thomas)
2006 - 8 8 (Crockett, Strother, Turner, Houston, Hunter, Thomas, Swanier, Montgomery)
2007 - 8 8 (Houston, Hunter, Swanier, Thomas, Montgomery, Greene, Charles, McLaren)
2008 - FF 10 (8) (Houston, Hunter, Swanier, Thomas, McLaren, Montgomery, Charles, Greene, Dixon, Moore)
2009 - NC 8 (7) (Montgomery, Charles, Greene, McLaren, Dixon, Hayes, Moore, Doty)
2010 - NC 8 (Charles, Greene, McLaren, Dixon, Moore, Hayes, Doty, Faris)
2011 - FF 7 (6) (Dixon, Moore, Doty, Hayes, Faris, Dolson, Hartley)
2012 - FF 7 (Hayes, Doty, Faris, Dolson, Hartley, KML, Stokes)
2013 - NC 9 (Doty, Faris, Dolson, Hartley, KML, Stokes, Jefferson, Stewart, Tuck)
2014 - NC 7 (Dolson, Hartley, Banks, KML, Stokes, Jefferson, Stewart,Tuck)
2015 - NC 8 (KML, Stokes, Jefferson, Stewart. Tuck, Chong, Nurse, Williams)
2016 - NC 8 (Jefferson, Stewart, Tuck, Chong, Nurse, Williams, Collier, Samuelson)
2017 - FF 6 (Chong, Nurse, Williams, Collier, Samuelson, Dangerfield)
2018 - FF 7 (Nurse, Williams, Collier, Samuelson, Stevens, Dangerfield, Walker)
2019 - FF 6 (Collier, Samuelson, Dangerfield, Walker, ODO, C. Williams)
2020 - 6 (Dangerfield, Walker, ODO, Williams, Griffin, Makurat)
2021 - FF 8 (6) (ODO, Williams, Westbrook, Griffin, Makurat, Bueckers, Edwards, Mühl)

As a rule, the greater the depth the better chances of grabbing the gold ring. Of the team’s 11 national championships, 10 had rotations of at least 7. The outlier is 2002 when the Huskies had an exceptional starting 5. The extent of the rotation is, of course, not the sole factor, particularly when one thinks of the results in 2017 and 2018, last second shots in overtime.

Given the depth of South Carolina and Stanford, it will be a steep climb for UConn even with the return of the walking wounded and perhaps without Bueckers at peak play. The team may be able to win its Sweet Sixteen game, but a further advance appears unlikely.

I love lists like this--thanks for putting in the time and effort to create and share it.

Couple of things worth noting:

1. It has been remarkable that UCONN avoided any serious injury to a top 3-4 player from 2002 until 2021. Especially considering the health problems Jefferson, Stewart, Nurse, Hartley, Hayes, Taurasi, etc. have faced in the WNBA. The good fortune ran out this year with Bueckers but she still could return for the end of the season.

2. 2014 was a 6 player team for almost the entire season since Tuck was injured early in the year. UCONN was ultimately never challenged despite having zero depth. 2015 I'd also argue was a 6 player squad in big games, as Williams didn't play against competitive teams and Chongs numbers dwindled considerably by the end of the season.

3. 2002 I'd consider an 8 deep squad. Conlon, Battle and Moore all played big minutes in big games throughout the season, including the Final Four. None of UCONN's starters averaged more than 30 minutes per game.

4. All that said, I don't think rotation depth matters that much if you have 5 or 6 solid players who are well conditioned and can avoid foul trouble. Notre Dame won a title in 2018 with a 5 person roster and nearly repeated in 2019 with only 5 again. UCONN won with 6 player squads in 2014/15 and had championship caliber teams with 6 players in 2017 and 2018. 7 seems like an optimal number but if you have the players, we've seen than you can pull it off with just 5 or 6 too.

5. I do think too much depth actually hurts teams rather than helps them. In the past when we've seen really good teams bring back everyone and add in additional talent, it usually hurts team chemistry more than it helps it. Some notable examples include:

1999 Tennessee not being as good as the 1998 team despite everyone back from an undefeated title team
2001 UCONN not being as good as the 2000 team despite having all major contributors back, plus adding in Taurasi.
2004 UCONN not being as good as the 2003 team despite everyone back plus a 3 or 4 person recruiting class
2007 Maryland not being as good as 2006 with everyone back plus Wiley-Gatewood
2013 Bayor not as good as 2012 after adding in Niya Johnson/Alexis Prince as rotation players
2018 UCONN not as good as 2017 after adding in Stevens


6. I agree with other posters that I don't think UCONN's Final Four chances are out the window if Bueckers comes back. Aside from SC and arguably Stanford (neither of whom UCONN will face until the Final Four), the rest of the field just isn't very imposing this year. I mean look at Louisville--that was a completely winnable game for UCONN and it just came down to Louisville making plays down the stretch while UCONN didn't. Louisville realistically could be the #1 seed in Bridgeport. Play that game again and UCONN could definitely win, especially if Bueckers is back. UCONN also has home court until the Final Four which bodes well for their chances to go deep.

 

[Boreifs]

I love lists like this--thanks for putting in the time and effort to create and share it.

Couple of things worth noting:

1. It has been remarkable that UCONN avoided any serious injury to a top 3-4 player from 2002 until 2021. Especially considering the health problems Jefferson, Stewart, Nurse, Hartley, Hayes, Taurasi, etc. have faced in the WNBA. The good fortune ran out this year with Bueckers but she still could return for the end of the season.

2. 2014 was a 6 player team for almost the entire season since Tuck was injured early in the year. UCONN was ultimately never challenged despite having zero depth. 2015 I'd also argue was a 6 player squad in big games, as Williams didn't play against competitive teams and Chongs numbers dwindled considerably by the end of the season.

3. 2002 I'd consider an 8 deep squad. Conlon, Battle and Moore all played big minutes in big games throughout the season, including the Final Four. None of UCONN's starters averaged more than 30 minutes per game.

4. All that said, I don't think rotation depth matters that much if you have 5 or 6 solid players who are well conditioned and can avoid foul trouble. Notre Dame won a title in 2018 with a 5 person roster and nearly repeated in 2019 with only 5 again. UCONN won with 6 player squads in 2014/15 and had championship caliber teams with 6 players in 2017 and 2018. 7 seems like an optimal number but if you have the players, we've seen than you can pull it off with just 5 or 6 too.

5. I do think too much depth actually hurts teams rather than helps them. In the past when we've seen really good teams bring back everyone and add in additional talent, it usually hurts team chemistry more than it helps it. Some notable examples include:

1999 Tennessee not being as good as the 1998 team despite everyone back from an undefeated title team
2001 UCONN not being as good as the 2000 team despite having all major contributors back, plus adding in Taurasi.
2004 UCONN not being as good as the 2003 team despite everyone back plus a 3 or 4 person recruiting class
2007 Maryland not being as good as 2006 with everyone back plus Wiley-Gatewood
2013 Bayor not as good as 2012 after adding in Niya Johnson/Alexis Prince as rotation players
2018 UCONN not as good as 2017 after adding in Stevens


6. I agree with other posters that I don't think UCONN's Final Four chances are out the window if Bueckers comes back. Aside from SC and arguably Stanford (neither of whom UCONN will face until the Final Four), the rest of the field just isn't very imposing this year. I mean look at Louisville--that was a completely winnable game for UCONN and it just came down to Louisville making plays down the stretch while UCONN didn't. Louisville realistically could be the #1 seed in Bridgeport. Play that game again and UCONN could definitely win, especially if Bueckers is back. UCONN also has home court until the Final Four which bodes well for their chances to go deep.

To me, the optimal number is eight; two points, three wings and three posts. 50 years ago, it was two centers, three forwards and three guards (think 72 Knicks; Reed and Lucas, Debusschere, Bradley, Jackson, Frazier, Monroe, Meminger). The game has changed a lot.

 

[Inthepaint]

. Aside from SC and arguably Stanford (neither of whom UCONN will face until the Final Four),
6. I agree with other posters that I don't think UCONNthe rest of the field just isn't very imposing this year. I mean look at Louisville--that was a completely winnable game for UCONN and it just came down to Louisville making plays down the stretch while UCONN didn't. Louisville realistically could be the #1 seed in Bridgeport. Play that game again and UCONN could definitely win, especially if Bueckers is back. UCONN also has home court until the Final Four which bodes well for their chances to go deep.

At this point we can't really know for sure what the eventual brackets, seedings, etc. will look like.
If UCONN is a # 2, 3 or 4 seed (depending how the rest of the season goes) they could have to face either #1 SC or # 1 Stanford within their bracket.
As unlikely as it may seem, there's no guarantee that the Huskies won't end up in another bracket in the Midwest, South or West.
Seems like every other "second tier" program gets shipped around the country by the NCAA committee that does the placement.
Of course, ESPN would probably object with lungs of brass.

 

[Carnac]

Things will be a lot different when we get these four back on the court. Right now, we're in a holding pattern.

 

[bballnut90]

At this point we can't really know for sure what the eventual brackets, seedings, etc. will look like.
If UCONN is a # 2, 3 or 4 seed (depending how the rest of the season goes) they could have to face either #1 SC or # 1 Stanford within their bracket.
As unlikely as it may seem, there's no guarantee that the Huskies won't end up in another bracket in the Midwest, South or West.
Seems like every other "second tier" program gets shipped around the country by the NCAA committee that does the placement.
Of course, ESPN would probably object with lungs of brass.

I dont see any chance that UCONN doesn't end up on Bridgeport. Regional selections are based on geographic region, and there is no one remotely close to Bridgeport aside from Maryland, who is 5.5 hours away. Every year the regionals have been within 2-3 hours of Storrs, UCONN ends up in that bracket even when they weren't a #1 seed (2004, 2006, 2019).

The committee won't put UCONN elsewhere and miss out on 10k attendance.