Do we need another Big

[Tonyc]

Edwards DeBerry and Gabriel. We need to get them going for fear of foul trouble to Liv and Dorka. With big leads we need to get them in the game and let them make their mistakes and correct them. Its late in the season and we have games where now that Christyn and Azzi are back we could give them minutes. When Paige gets back definitely give them minutes in blowouts. For nothing more then to have them ready if needed and looking towards next season the experience will go a long way especially if Liv doesnt stay another year. Im not sure but due to Covid does Liv qualify for another season????

 

[Centerstream]

And where is this "Big" coming from? Or is this another "why don't Amari and Piath get more minutes" thread in disguise?

 

[JellyBean]

I am pretty sure if there are blow out games, Coach G will get Amari and Piath out there so that they can get some experience. A lot just depends on how they look during practice. As he has said many times, if they are working hard in practice, they will get some minutes on the floor. The standard is the standard. We do have some games coming up, on paper, where it looks like they could get some burn on the floor but that is on the players to do their part in practice to make the coaching staff look like morons for not playing these players more.

As for Liv, not sure what is the status on many of the seniors because of the Covid situation. I would love for her to stay another year. Not only for the experience factor but also for her ability to teach or work with the incoming freshmen post players. But I think that she would be ready to graduate to prevent a log jam at the post position next season. But great question.

 

[NU2BY]

What would Covid have to do with her qualifying for another year?

 

[TeamFirst!]

Liv is going to be a 1st round draft pick. She should take the money.

 

[TeamFirst!]

I know she wasn't projected to be earlier but I think she has played herself into that position.

 

[huskeynut]

UGH

 

[Centerstream]

What would Covid have to do with her qualifying for another year?

The extra year granted by the NCAA is popularly referred to as a COVID year.

 

[Blakeon18]

Correct me if I am wrong. All the players who were on the roster last season simply did not have that year count
against them..due to covid. That would mean Liv/CW and even Evina could come back next year. I doubt any of them will but I assume Geno would grant that opportunity if any wished it.

Neither Ayanna or Ice is a 'true' post player...though either might be able to do it in some match-ups.
Assuming no post portals coming in: Dorka [says she will be back] and Liv are the only proven centers we would have...with Amari and Piath hoping to get minutes after a summer of improvement.

 

[Centerstream]

@HuskyNan posted on Thursday in the "Anti-UConn" thread that Dorka said that she is staying. FWIW.

 

[cferraro04]

And where is this "Big" coming from? Or is this another "why don't Amari and Piath get more minutes" thread in disguise?

I think what Tonyc is implying with his post is that Dorka and Olivia may not be enough come March when we are playing teams that are more postcentric (new word...lol). We do need either Edwards, DeBerry or Gabriel to step up and be a viable 3rd option in the post. I don't think Tonyc was disguising anything we all have been watching and the biggest problem UConn could face is having both our bigs in foul trouble against big opposing post play.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Ice is 6'3" the last I read.

 

[NU2BY]

The extra year granted by the NCAA is popularly referred to as a COVID year.

Yes, my point IS/WAS, why is this a question. Liv is entitled to an extra year if she wants it. Tonyc had asked, "Im not sure but due to Covid does Liv qualify for another season????" Where has he been, of course she gets another year ... if she wants it.

 

[Longtime fan]

What would Covid have to do with her qualifying for another year?

The NCAA granted a years extension to all I think ( due to covid restrictions last year ( no crowds, etc )..

 

[hoophuskee]

UCONN/ Coach Auriemma will never give players minutes in fear. I believe overall he never has. I recall once Chris Dailey once said to paraphrase "We want teams to match up to us, not for us to be forced to match up to them."

When you are Final Four caliber team which UCONN has been for 17 straight years you don't coach scared. UCONN made the FF last year with a small lineup. The problem with last year's team was that Walker left them. And the 2nd problem was that the bigs didn't play well enough. How about they just play both better and smarter?

UCONN has 3 bigs in Liv, Dorka and Edwards (if Edwards was good enough to be a regular rotation post last year there is no reason why she can't this year unless UCONN fans suggest she should just give up?). How about they learn not to have their arms come down on another player that is shooting? Heck, both Liv and Edwards last year almost got called for a disastrous E8 foul in last few seconds, -- you think they'd learn? Who here thinks they are incapable of not learning this going forward? So the idea is to put in other lesser players because you feel our current post players are incapable of learning?

How about Liv, Dorka, and Edwards just play better? Or how about a 4 guard lineup? That lineup went to the FF. Who thinks UCONN would have had no shot winning the FF game last year if either Walker had played last season (therefore we would have had a 4 guard lineup), or if Liv and Edwards just played better? So what does fear and size have to do with this?

 

[Longtime fan]

Correct me if I am wrong. All the players who were on the roster last season simply did not have that year count
against them..due to covid. That would mean Liv/CW and even Evina could come back next year. I doubt any of them will but I assume Geno would grant that opportunity if any wished it.

Neither Ayanna or Ice is a 'true' post player...though either might be able to do it in some match-ups.
Assuming no post portals coming in: Dorka [says she will be back] and Liv are the only proven centers we would have...with Amari and Piath hoping to get minutes after a summer of improvement.

Based on what little we have seen of them. I can't see either Piath or DeBerry being a factor next year, either. The limited garbage time is just that: "Go out and run around. Hold your arms up and stay out of 3 second violations. Grab the ball if it comes to you, and throw it back toward the hoop if possible. Try not to foul every moment you move close to an opponent. Move from one end of the court to the other, as possessions change." I don't care how hard they practice, they aren't going to get meaningful court time. Particularly now that AZZI has to work her way into shape. The bench is getting longer fast ( thankfully ), and Piath and Gabriel are moving further away from the court....toward the edge.

 

[NU2BY]

The NCAA granted a years extension to all I think ( due to covid restrictions last year ( no crowds, etc )..

Yes, I didn't respond to Tonyc question properly. He's certainly been around here long enough to know that she had already been granted an extra year. His question was very confusing to me, since I saw no reason for it.

 

[and one]

We have bugs, just not bangers. Morrow had her way the whole DePaul game. AE is the only Huskie who might have been able to physically control her but at present that is beyond her. At the end of last year I thought AE was going to be Morrowesque this year. Not so much it turns out.

 

[Cornell Lt]

Getting a true center, either through recruiting or the portal is essential for next year, especially if Dorka leaves. Amari is a true project and this year, as far as game time goes, has been a lost season. Piath is good at what she does, contributes in late game mop up time.

 

[Zarathustra]

We would benefit from a 6'5" wide body if Dorka leaves, and
maybe if she stays... call it insurance. "Ice" may be shorter than
her (once) report of being 6' 4" , now (once )reported as 6' 3"!!??
So one big transfer and future wide bodies to complement
our current lineup.

 

[cferraro04]

When was the last time UConn got a quality true center? Stephanie Dolson left for the NBA in 2014...eight years ago. Before that do we have to reach back all the way to Tina Charles?

 

[HuskylnSC]

IMHO, we will see Amari and Piath make a substantial upgrade in the quality of their play. Amari is highly skilled and missed time in the summer and fall due to injuries. A great passer; she has already had a 5 assist, 2 steal, 1 block game despite her limited minutes. A good spring/summer of conditioning and skill development. A good summer session with the coaches and she could well step into Liv's role as part of the triumvirate with Dorka and Aaliyah. Piath is physically stronger, partially due to a year and a half of conditioning and she seems longer that any of the other 6'5" players. She has taken to banging underneath. Last year Piath was very raw. She has improved to being able to get position, call for the ball and score. Give them a little more time...

 

[Charliebball]

Liv is going to be a 1st round draft pick. She should take the money.

What money? Correct me if I'm wrong, but unless she can make big bucks overseas, the most she's making in the WNBA is 75K.......she may be able to make that much or more with NILs while at UConn with the right management and especially with an NC.....

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Amari is better than people give her credit. Players come in with above average to solid skills and people get excited, understandably. Well, that's just a first step. The next is fitting those skills into the coach's offensive and defensive schemes. At this point, skills aren't the problem...it's fitting them into the team's needs. Amari looks confused and Aaliyah too because they are struggling to marry steps one and two. They aren't comfortable. They are very talented. We need an athletic and long slasher who loves rebounding and lives on the baseline. I don't think we need a traditional "big".