difference between undefeated and unbeatable.

[VAMike23]

Just a tiny rebuttal to VamMike. The Arizona State game in Trenton looks in retrospect like a slaughter but was actually a very tough game in which Tiff pulled us out of the fire with a slew of 3's, can't remember how many but it was a lot. I think that was the game where after her 6th or 7th she shrugged her shoulders like saying; sorry, what can I do, I'm hot."

"Slaughter" was used in reference to the pre-FF games for the 2008-09 championship team. In the following year, you're right, the ASU game was no slaughter.

 

[arty155]

...like at tub-thumper who has no objectivity...

Good one ETT ! (I liked to have died laughing)

 

[Scotter]

I have the reserve opinion of UConn 2009 versus UConn 2010. UConn 2009 was almost beatable, but their defense was vulnerable enough that they could potentially be defeated although not by any of the teams they played in 2009. UConn 2010 was the unbeatable team because defensively they were never going to allow more points than they were going to score. The NCAA Final was a great example of that in my opinion.

Undefeated:

Texas 1986
UConn 1995
Baylor 2011

Undefeated and almost unbeatable:

Tennessee 1998
UConn 2010

Unbeatable:

UConn 2002
UConn 2009

 

[MilfordHusky]

I have the reserve opinion of UConn 2009 versus UConn 2010. UConn 2009 was almost beatable, but their defense was vulnerable enough that they could potentially be defeated although not by any of the teams they played in 2009. UConn 2010 was the unbeatable team because defensively they were never going to allow more points than they were going to score. The NCAA Final was a great example of that in my opinion.

Both teams were very good defensively, though the 2010 team, I believe, was a record setter. I think both may have been unbeatable. The 2010 team had the best two players in WCBB, which is just ridiculous. On the 2009 team, Tina was just reaching greatness, but Renee gave us leadership and toughness, as well as critical scoring. Some of the keys to both--playing harder than anyone else, a commitment to team defense, and scoring punch at all 5 positions. The last point separates the undefeated UConn teams from the nearly great ones.

 

[easttexastrash]

Montgomery, Charles and Moore on the same court were unbeatable. Three absolute stars.

 

[doggydaddy]

Montgomery, Charles and Moore on the same court were unbeatable. Three absolute stars.

Agreed. I just don't see the same with Griner and Sims. They need a third amigo.

Gonna be 1 or 2 great games between UConn and Baylor. The kind I DVR because I'm too nervous to watch...lol.

 

[easttexastrash]

Y

Agreed. I just don't see the same with Griner and Sims. They need a third amigo.

Gonna be 1 or 2 great games between UConn and Baylor. The kind I DVR because I'm too nervous to watch...lol.

Maybe Prince will be the third amigo. I think that she may be a tad underrated coming out of high school. And I TRULY do believe, based on what I've seen, that Chandler is going to be spectacular. Of course I could be way off base. She had never been allowed time to fully rehab but now that she has, watch out. What is going to help most is her rebounding.

I think that we will see some very different lineups next year. I suspect that Pope and Madden will see a lot less action and that Prince and Chandler make major contributions.

 

[doggydaddy]

Maybe Prince will be the third amigo. I think that she may be a tad underrated coming out of high school. And I TRULY do believe, based on what I've seen, that Chandler is going to be spectacular. Of course I could be way off base. She had never been allowed time to fully rehab but now that she has, watch out. What is going to help most is her rebounding.

I think that we will see some very different lineups next year. I suspect that Pope and Madden will see a lot less action and that Prince and Chandler make major contributions.

As we have seen from much higher ranked players (massingale, burdick, forthan, and others) it's not so easy making the transition from HS to college and certainly not making MAJOR contributions.

I do hope you a right about Chandler. But I will say that very few players who rely on athletisim and leaping ability rarely get back to where they were before the injuries. And with more than one injury, missing 1 year of HS and one year of college trying to recover, I would temper your optomism a little. Spectacular? From a player who when she did play made only minor contributions.

Fortunately, Baylor has enough returning to win it all.

 

[easttexastrash]

As we have seen from much higher ranked players (massingale, burdick, forthan, and others) it's not so easy making the transition from HS to college and certainly not making MAJOR contributions.

I do hope you a right about Chandler. But I will say that very few players who rely on athletisim and leaping ability rarely get back to where they were before the injuries. And with more than one injury, missing 1 year of HS and one year of college trying to recover, I would temper your optomism a little. Spectacular? From a player who when she did play made only minor contributions.

Fortunately, Baylor has enough returning to win it all.

I guess we'll have to wait and see and revisit this prediction of mine once the season starts. Since I've seen her in action and you haven't, I'll go with my opinion for now. Hopefully she comes back strong like Sims did about 8 months after her surgery. I would say that Sims certainly relies on her athleticism. She is playing the PG position at the highest level and her knee is tested every game.

 

[60'sfan]

Montgomery, Charles and Moore on the same court were unbeatable. Three absolute stars.

The 2002 team had five stars on the same court in Swin Cash, Asjha Jones, Tamika Williams, Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi. Four of them had played together for four years and they knew each other incredibly well.

But the 2001 team was even more talented. Take the same team above and add Svetlana Abrosimova and Shea Ralph. Geno had more talent than he knew what to do with. Injuries kept them from the title.

Question for you. Which of these girls were the number one high school player in the nation before coming to Uconn?

 

[easttexastrash]

The 2002 team had five stars on the same court in Swin Cash, Asjha Jones, Tamika Williams, Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi. Four of them had played together for four years and they knew each other incredibly well.

But the 2001 team was even more talented. Take the same team above and add Svetlana Abrosimova and Shea Ralph. Geno had more talent than he knew what to do with. Injuries kept them from the title.

Question for you. Which of these girls were the number one high school player in the nation before coming to Uconn?

I hope that question is not directed to me because I have no idea.

 

[alexrgct]

The 2002 team had five stars on the same court in Swin Cash, Asjha Jones, Tamika Williams, Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi. Four of them had played together for four years and they knew each other incredibly well.

But the 2001 team was even more talented. Take the same team above and add Svetlana Abrosimova and Shea Ralph. Geno had more talent than he knew what to do with. Injuries kept them from the title.

Question for you. Which of these girls were the number one high school player in the nation before coming to Uconn?

Shea Ralph, tamika Williams, and Diana Taurasi

 

[doggydaddy]

I guess we'll have to wait and see and revisit this prediction of mine once the season starts. Since I've seen her in action and you haven't, I'll go with my opinion for now. Hopefully she comes back strong like Sims did about 8 months after her surgery. I would say that Sims certainly relies on her athleticism. She is playing the PG position at the highest level and her knee is tested every game.

Forwards seem to have a tougher time coming back. And again, practice is one thing. Games are another. I see Sims are more of a strong and smart player and not that explosive. But you know her and Chandler better for sure.

 

[easttexastrash]

Forwards seem to have a tougher time coming back. And again, practice is one thing. Games are another. I see Sims are more of a strong and smart player and not that explosive. But you know her and Chandler better for sure.

I've seen a lot of players who have come back from injury and I can't say that I've ever seen anyone with the physical explosiveness I saw with Chandler. In my opinion she is the X factor for Baylor next season.

Tamika Catchings tore her ACL her senior year at UT and then averaged 18.6 pts and 8.6 rebounds while averaging 36+ minutes a game in her rookie WNBA season. Great example of a forward who recovered quite well. Can you believe that Kelly Miller was chosen ahead of her in the WNBA draft? Probably a case of not believing that she could recover from her ACL tear and still be a great athlete.

 

[easttexastrash]

Candace Parker also tore her ACL early and has done quite well. I understand your point, but some players do recover.

 

[doggydaddy]

Candace Parker also tore her ACL early and has done quite well. I understand your point, but some players do recover.

I wouldn't call her explosive and she has had issues over the years including this season.

 

[Icebear]

Players can regain their explosiveness but it usually is not in the first season. It is a somewhat slow process of redeveloment of the physical and the trust and risk lying in the mind.

 

[easttexastrash]

Players can regain their explosiveness but it usually is not in the first season. It is a somewhat slow process of redeveloment of the physical and the trust and risk lying in the mind.

Chandler is now several years removed from her ACL injury. I think it was clear to Mulkey that Chandler could limp along and play some but would never be at her best until she took the time to heal.

 

[easttexastrash]

I wouldn't call her explosive and she has had issues over the years including this season.

Neither would I, which is why I didn't call her that. Although being able to throw down 7 dunks in her college career does get pretty close.

 

[doggydaddy]

Neither would I, which is why I didn't call her that. Although being able to throw down 7 dunks in her college career does get pretty close.

She was tall, long and athletic.