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Message: [QUOTE="oldhusky, post: 4030970, member: 9844"] I will try from a different perspective. First in my opinion there are six returning starters, both Nika and Alliyah could be considered returning starters. Remember earlier in the season when Anna went out, we went with Aaliyah, she did not have a good first game in the starting lineup, and then Nika settled in. When Nika was injured Aaliyah stepped in and this time played like the long term answer at the 4. When Nika was available, but probably still hampered by injury against Arizona, Aaliyah started and Nika came off the bench. So what we don't really know is if the Arizona game was a week later and Nika was 100%, who the starter would have been, it could have been either. Regardless those 6 seem assured of regular minutes in contested games. Among returnees I would also include Aubrey for regular but limited minutes. Probably more limited than last year because Aaliyah might be a full time starter at the 4, and even if she doesn't start will play a much higher percentage of her minutes at the 4, unlike last year when she also needed to be Liv's principal backup. Still Aubrey is a very good proven backup 4. So that puts me at 7 before considering the newcomers and how much the rotation might be expanded. I can't imagine a scenario where Azzi and Dorka are not part of the rotation since they are considered potential starters by many, so to me a rotation of 9 is more of a minimum than a maximum. Going beyond that is much more problematic, but I think the best chance at making it a 10 player rotation is CD, but she would probably need to be playing at a very high level to make that happen. Ideally she could be the backup 3, behind Evina, with a little different skill-set and give us a deadly three point shooter there. Her challenge is Azzi could play as an undersized 3 with a great outside shot, Christyn could move over there, and if you wanted more defense and rebounding Aubrey could play there a little too. So Paige, Nika, Christyn, Azzi and Evina could easily handle positions 1-3 without needing a 6th. At 6-2 and long I think she would be a natural 3, but since her minutes would probably come at the expense of the previously mentioned 5 it might be an up hill battle, but I am rooting for it. Obviously despite their talent and potential that leaves Amari, Piath, Mir and Saylor with mop-up minutes in most games, short of injuries. I would love to see us press and run more and find a reason to make them relevant at least in the conference games, but given Geno's track record I see a rotation of 9 and possibly 10 in big games. [/QUOTE]

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