Does anybody know C's & PF's left in the transfer portal?

[Bone Dog]

If Geno brings in one more portal player, I'll be surprised. But I've been surprised before. I guess I don't see the same urgency others do. Yes, question marks abound, but (as some in the BY are fond of saying) that's what they play the games.

 

[BRS24]

We also might not hear anything until after May 12th, as it's the recruiting quiet period, unless visits and decisions happened before May 6th.

 

[AmeriConn]

While I would love to have another solid Big, many seem to forget that UConn was a top team this past year with a 4-guard offense, most of whom are a year smarter and coming back. With our injured reserved healed and several very strong recruits, none of our opposition is taking the Huskies for granted. That being said, suspect there is a surprise recruit that Geno will announce soon. It's a big world out there.

A prediction. I love surprises!

 

[Dugway]

I like Post #24; have always thought we could use an additional post player. Particularly if we had one who averaged anything close to a Double-Double. But, some on this site have argued that this experienced Double-Double player, must not actually be competitive in nature; you know, so as not to contend for playing time against other teammates!

Also, in agreement on the experienced, tutor personality type. So probably a senior or grad student, which is fine because UConn only needs her for one season. As a requirement of the forum however, this exceptional player will only play in those really unusual circumstances when the freshman and sophomores won’t be available. At only those limited, critical situations, our champion will step in, blow out the opponent and carry us to victory! After which she will gladly go back to the bench, as our fragile freshman and sophomores will require nurturing as only Geno provides.

I am certainly glad there are not two roster spots left to fill. There might not actually be two of these players available!

 

[oldhusky]

I like Post #24; have always thought we could use an additional post player. Particularly if we had one who averaged anything close to a Double-Double. But, some on this site have argued that this experienced Double-Double player, must not actually be competitive in nature; you know, so as not to contend for playing time against other teammates!

Also, in agreement on the experienced, tutor personality type. So probably a senior or grad student, which is fine because UConn only needs her for one season. As a requirement of the forum however, this exceptional player will only play in those really unusual circumstances when the freshman and sophomores won’t be available. At only those limited, critical situations, our champion will step in, blow out the opponent and carry us to victory! After which she will gladly go back to the bench, as our fragile freshman and sophomores will require nurturing as only Geno provides.

I am certainly glad there are not two roster spots left to fill. There might not actually be two of these players available!

If you limit the search to one year players, that wouldn't jeopardize 2025 recruiting, and could be an improvement on Ayanna or Ice, there may not be even one after Karlen and King went to Notre Dame, and even if there was the interest might not be mutual.

I think we may be down to roster insurance at the big positions, namely someone who would only play in an important game if probably two of the bigs were injured or fouled out. There aren't any difference makers except for a couple of two year players, Dauda and Barker and you could make a good case for not even pursuing them because of the potential impact on 2025 recruits.

 

[Bone Dog]

I can see it’s time for a prediction or three to quiet all this portal talk:

1. Ice averages a double-double next season
2. Sarah and Jana average >12 pts/game after December
3. Azzi and Ash average >18 pts/g until Aubrey and Caroline return
4. Paige averages 24 pts 3 blocks and 7 rebounds over the season
5. KK and Kaitlyn average 15 points, 12 assists and 3 steals between them in January
6. Allie has at least one 20+ point game
7. Morgan has at least one 6 steal game
8. Q has at least one 25 point game
9. The team averages 90+ pts/game

 

[The CDR-Ret]

I can see it’s time for a prediction or three to quiet all this portal talk:

1. Ice averages a double-double next season
2. Sarah and Jana average >12 pts/game after December
3. Azzi and Ash average >18 pts/g until Aubrey and Caroline return
4. Paige averages 24 pts 3 blocks and 7 rebounds over the season
5. KK and Kaitlyn average 15 points, 12 assists and 3 steals between them in January
6. Allie has at least one 20+ point game
7. Morgan has at least one 6 steal game
8. Q has at least one 25 point game
9. The team averages 90+ pts/game

With just the averages #1-#5, UConn is at 94 pts/game AVERAGE.... Very NICE!!!

I concur with your assessment. UConn will be BAAAAD for WBB once again!

Go Huskies!

 

[Dynastic]

A prediction. I love surprises!

Not going to win a Natty with a four guard lineup next year.

 

[Pharos]

Who are the centers UConn will have to face... and their heights?

 

[Bone Dog]

Who are the centers UConn will have to face... and their heights?

I haven't seen the OOC schedule yet, so I can't answer precisely. But here's a stab at a broad list. The only truly dominant big center left in D1 is Lee on Kansas St at 6'7". After that it's

• Del Rosario at 6'6" at LSU,
• Tac and Walker at 6'5" and Watkins at 6'3" at SC,
• Koval at 6'4" and Westbeld at 6'3" at ND,
• Marshall and Iriafen at 6'3" at USC,
• Brown at 6'6" and Roberson at 6'3" at Duke,
• Toomey and Thomas at 6'4" at UNC.

I can't really think of any others we'd have to worry about. And of this list, really only SC, ND and USCw are worth worrying about because they have some experience and also have the guards who can make those bigs dangerous. We'd have to gameplay specifically for them.

 

[Dugway]

I think that the Longhorns are extremely tall, or at least they were last season, I think. I don’t know if they lost many to graduation or the portal. I honestly don’t keep up on that team much, just thinking out of memory but didn’t they have like five players that were 6’4” or taller; and one of them was like close to a seven footer, something like that?

I just remember that after they beat UConn early last season Geno basically benched Amari for the season and much of Ice’s time as well. He changed to the four guard set because we were dominated so bad when he tried to match big for big. Wasn’t that the Longhorns? Or maybe it was NC, it was a long time ago!

Thinking back it was that early part of last season that UCLA beat us as well, they have Lauren Betts at I think 6’7”.

 

[JellyBean]

My thinking is the 14 players we have now is more than enough. We don't need to add another player to take minutes away from the talent that is currently on this roster. We got height. We got speed. We got quickness. We have shooters. Again, I am looking at everyone being 100% healthy and cleared to play. We got Ayanna at 6'3ish. We got Ice standing at 6'4ish. We got Jana and something tells me that she is going to be that "DAWG" we have been waiting for. She just seems like a player that loves to be in the post absorbing the physical contact and just eating shots like a bag of Sour Patches. Ayanna, I believe has something to prove, same with Ice. With those three players, plus Morgan Cheli (6'0ish but still growing) we got all the "height" we need. We good.

 

[Bone Dog]

My thinking is the 14 players we have now is more than enough. We don't need to add another player to take minutes away from the talent that is currently on this roster. We got height. We got speed. We got quickness. We have shooters. Again, I am looking at everyone being 100% healthy and cleared to play. We got Ayanna at 6'3ish. We got Ice standing at 6'4ish. We got Jana and something tells me that she is going to be that "DAWG" we have been waiting for. She just seems like a player that loves to be in the post absorbing the physical contact and just eating shots like a bag of Sour Patches. Ayanna, I believe has something to prove, same with Ice. With those three players, plus Morgan Cheli (6'0ish but still growing) we got all the "height" we need. We good.

I love how you’re stretching out the heights of Ayanna and Ice. But then why shrink Morgan? She was listed at 6’2” in HS, and looks to be 6’1”ish. Let’s just cut her a little slack and call it 6’3”?

I totally share your optimism about Jana. If all goes well, , she will be our pride and joy. She’ll be the vehicle for team pride and unity. The team will rally around her. That’s my dream.

 

[Bone Dog]

I think that the Longhorns are extremely tall, or at least they were last season, I think. I don’t know if they lost many to graduation or the portal. I honestly don’t keep up on that team much, just thinking out of memory but didn’t they have like five players that were 6’4” or taller; and one of them was like close to a seven footer, something like that?

I just remember that after they beat UConn early last season Geno basically benched Amari for the season and much of Ice’s time as well. He changed to the four guard set because we were dominated so bad when he tried to match big for big. Wasn’t that the Longhorns? Or maybe it was NC, it was a long time ago!

Thinking back it was that early part of last season that UCLA beat us as well, they have Lauren Betts at I think 6’7”.

I forgot about Texas in my list of bigs we might face. If she returns, Taylor Jones at 6’4” is formidable when healthy. After that they had Muhammad and Gaston who are both in the portal last I checked. They have a 6’9” rising sophomore, Abby Boutlier, who didn’t play much (if at all) as a freshman. And there’s Khadija Faye at 6’4”who’s played sparingly but may have improved over last season. Texas has a lot very strong medium bigs, led mainly by Aliyah Moore at 6’1”. They have a lot of muscle in that height range and Vic knows how to get the best from kids like that. In the end this means we’re in the same boat, roughly, as Texas. We’re as big as they are, if not bigger, and we have even more of those medium bigs and Geno really knows how to coach them too.

 

[sun]

Janiah Barker deserves to be a starter wherever she ends up, probably someplace like LSU.

 

[sun]

It was reported by the Youtube channel Locked on Gamecocks, that the X account Skim Milkey posted that "Arkansas transfer Maryam Dauda has heard from over 20 programs including UConn, SCar, Texas & Stanford. She is in the process of narrowing it down & setting up visits."

Dauda blocked 74 shots last season, 3rd highest in the SEC.

 

[JellyBean]

I love how you’re stretching out the heights of Ayanna and Ice. But then why shrink Morgan? She was listed at 6’2” in HS, and looks to be 6’1”ish. Let’s just cut her a little slack and call it 6’3”?

I totally share your optimism about Jana. If all goes well, , she will be our pride and joy. She’ll be the vehicle for team pride and unity. The team will rally around her. That’s my dream.

You know how these sites list these players.

 

[Dugway]

After all of the transfer portal scramble that occurred in April, I've heard very little discussion or news (NONE) about it at all over the past 2 or 3 weeks. May 1st was the last day that players could enter into the portal, but certainly not the last date that teams could sign players from the list. I don't really know the number, but what, a thousand players still on the list? Some team, somewhere, has had to have spoken with a player or two. Has there been absolutely no signings at all? What is going on?

 

[HuskylnSC]

I think we need someone at least 6'3" to back up Jana. I'd like her to be physically strong to handle the pounding. It would help if she had decent range to fit in with the UConn style. And she would need to be a good passer. It would help if she has already played in a UConn level program. And I would like it if she had won some kind of honor like all-tournament team. Get someone like that. If you can find her it would be great. I know it'll be impossible to find someone that good but I'm sure there is one out there.

 

[CL82]

I think we need someone at least 6'3" to back up Jana. I'd like her to be physically strong to handle the pounding. It would help if she had decent range to fit in with the UConn style. And she would need to be a good passer. It would help if she has already played in a UConn level program. And I would like it if she had won some kind of honor like all-tournament team. Get someone like that. If you can find her it would be great. I know it'll be impossible to find someone that good but I'm sure there is one out there.

 

[Fanofball]

I haven't seen the OOC schedule yet, so I can't answer precisely. But here's a stab at a broad list. The only truly dominant big center left in D1 is Lee on Kansas St at 6'7". After that it's

• Del Rosario at 6'6" at LSU,
• Tac and Walker at 6'5" and Watkins at 6'3" at SC,
• Koval at 6'4" and Westbeld at 6'3" at ND,
• Marshall and Iriafen at 6'3" at USC,
• Brown at 6'6" and Roberson at 6'3" at Duke,
• Toomey and Thomas at 6'4" at UNC.

I can't really think of any others we'd have to worry about. And of this list, really only SC, ND and USCw are worth worrying about because they have some experience and also have the guards who can make those bigs dangerous. We'd have to gameplay specifically for them.

We don't play LSU, but even if we did, Rosario seems completely lost out there. Constantly fouling, and not really getting into position when she is out there. Mulkey hasn't really used her to her potential much.

Tac and Walker will definitely be a challenge. I doubt Dawn throws them out there at the same time though.

Watkins' height is a mystery to me, I've seen people call her 6'0, 6'1, and 6'2. I don't think she's 6'3 though. I don't think Gottlieb will want Watkins in the paint in addition to Marshall and Iriafen, so she'll likely be a SG again.

Westbeld is not a great defensive forward; Edwards bullied her in the paint in last season's loss with a double double of 23 and 11. I wouldn't worry about Maddy in the paint, on the arc however... she cooked us alive. Koval seems strong and agile under the basket, should be a good match for Jana.

Brown, graduated I think? Maybe not. Roberson, unless she gets stronger, will be child's play in the paint compared to Jana or Ice. Roberson and Fournier are easily pushed out of position because they're not very muscular. I kind of wish we schedule Duke, but who knows.

 

[JoePgh]

I think we need someone at least 6'3" to back up Jana. I'd like her to be physically strong to handle the pounding. It would help if she had decent range to fit in with the UConn style. And she would need to be a good passer. It would help if she has already played in a UConn level program. And I would like it if she had won some kind of honor like all-tournament team. Get someone like that. If you can find her it would be great. I know it'll be impossible to find someone that good but I'm sure there is one out there.

It would seem clear that two players that will probably satisfy your requirements are Ice Brady and Ayanna Patterson.

 

[donalddoowop]

View attachment 100924

I have been watching playbacks of this past season that I recorded and from watching Brady, I see the potential she has, and I believe she will be opposite of Edwards, instead of a weak sophomore season she will have a very good sophomore season. Edwards had a good freshman season and a weak sophomore season. I believe Brady has the potential to be an AA during her time at UConn.

 

[HopJim]

Barker is definitely a forward rather than a center. The way she handles and finishes at the rim has shades of Candace Parker in her younger days, though Janiah hasn't shown to be anywhere near the player Parker was. That said, Barker is immensely talented but often tries to do a lot and isn't very disciplined. The right coach could mold her into a great player, but I don't think she's a fit for a program like UCONN that has a structured offense which relies more on ball movement opposed to individual playmaking.

I think Dauda is a better fit between the two for UCONN. She's a true post presence defensively and her skill set is that of a shot blocking center with a good face up game offensively. I think she would fill in well to provide front court depth.

Agree that Barker is talented but no reason in today's game she can't play any forward or big position. While she doesn't have the bulk of SC's Boston, few do, and her ability to move her feet quickly would make her an able defender. Most of the Top 10 teams have full dance cards so UConn may have alot to offer her or other bigs.

 

[DEpup]

I still wonder if any discussions between UConn and Dauda have taken place.