Does Uconn have a super team

[Galaxyshooter]

With all of this talk about LSU having a super team on paper at least I think on paper you can say Uconn has a super team as well..let's compare the LSU backcourt Reese and Haley personally I'll take Paige and Azzi. Forwards Murrow vs AE stat wise it's Murrow but AE has progressed every year and Murrow is really undersized and in her battles against UConn she was held in check. LSU bigs vs Uconn Biggs to me is a push UConn's bigs are an unknown entity that is known for its potential but so are LSU bigs as a matter of fact can you even name one of their bigs. LSU has a very good incoming freshman ranked 19th because of the number 2 ranked player in the class but UConn has the number 4 ranked class with the number 2 point guard in the class. LSU has a great coach who stresses defense UConn has a legendary coach whose team is known for its defense. So who has the advantage? I guess it's the bench that will decide and I give that edge to UConn. Apparently, LSU has been dubbed a super team that will win it all on paper at least but remember last year the super team on paper was South Carolina and how did that turn out?

 

[Bone Dog]

When has UConn not been a super team? Never in the last three decades, as far as I can tell. We’ve always been the team everyone wants to beat and everyone measures themselves against.

As for LSU, they look to be really strong next season. If they can make the chemistry work — and Kim is really good at that — and keep Reese and Morrow on the floor together in the front court (with a few minutes from Smith and Del Rosario), and with Flau’jae Hailey Van Lith Poole and Williams in the backcourt. They’ll outrebound most opponents, and they’ll play aggressive defense inside and out. It’s still a question whether they’ll have consistent perimeter shooters. And the chemistry is a big IF, but I’m not expecting Kim to stumble in this department. If we play them in Cancun it will be very revealing.

 

[sun]

Both UConn & LSU will play against Scar during the upcoming season which should provide a glimpse of each other's relative strength against a common opponent.
If Scar beats both teams then that will confirm that indeed, there are other superteams.
That's assuming that UConn doesn't play against LSU in the Cayman Islands Classic.
However because that's being held in late Nov, it would be premature to draw many conclusions from such an early season matchup at a remote, offshore location.

 

[hoopsfan22]

No

 

[and one]

Not no but I doubt it. If everyone, particularly Ice and the true freshman, exceed expectations we'll be a very tough out. Even if it is the normal mixed bag in player development we will be really good. In no case will we be prohibitive favorites to win the NC. LSU and SC will be ranked higher entering the season, then we'll just have to see how it plays out. There is every reason to believe that UConn could win the NC, just not a favorite to do so now.

 

[visitingcock]

Not no but I doubt it. If everyone, particularly Ice and the true freshman, exceed expectations we'll be a very tough out. Even if it is the normal mixed bag in player development we will be really good. In no case will we be prohibitive favorites to win the NC. LSU and SC will be ranked higher entering the season, then we'll just have to see how it plays out. There is every reason to believe that UConn could win the NC, just not a favorite to do so now.

We will not be ranked higher than UCcnn “entering the season.” Graduations leave too many question marks.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

Yes. There is no question about that.

 

[cancontent]

So glad you can read at a 6th-grade level but your basketball knowledge is limited at best my friend Angel is a wing not a big and was the number 2 player in the country behind Paige. She currently plays as a point forward handling the rock as a guard hence the term backcourt. A word of advice as my momma told me "If you have nothing nice to say then say nothing at all"..this forum is not graded for how someone writes rather it serves to express one's thoughts and genius people like you who look down on people are a hindrance to those who want to participate but don't want to deal with arrogant snobs.. feel free to give me a grade.

The backcourt for LSU will consist of the guards like Hailey Van Lith, Poa, Poole, Velez (sic?). Just because Reese can handle the ball, it doesn't change the fact that she's a forward.

Candace Parker is a point forward to me. I've never seen her considered as a back court player.

 

[sun]

So glad you can read at a 6th-grade level but your basketball knowledge is limited at best my friend Angel is a wing not a big and was the number 2 player in the country behind Paige. She currently plays as a point forward handling the rock as a guard hence the term backcourt. A word of advice as my momma told me "If you have nothing nice to say then say nothing at all"..this forum is not graded for how someone writes rather it serves to express one's thoughts and genius people like you who look down on people are a hindrance to those who want to participate but don't want to deal with arrogant snobs.. feel free to give me a grade.

It reminds me of Ice and how she may be used as a combo player for UConn.
It's just a label and they will both be in a new system with new chemistry for both teams.
It makes life more interesting when players are viewed as more than machines playing traditional roles.
Sort of like Carol, some guards can play like a big and some bigs can play like a guard depending on the live action.
That's what makes Morrow such a dangerous weapon too.

 

[Rowdy831]

UCONN regularly has 8-10 highly touted recruits that make up their team. Does LSU have any player you would trade for Paige? You could go right down the line and the answer would most likely be no. In active coaches Geno is Legend 1 and Kim is Legend 2 but when they play LSU will not win the game if both teams play to their potential.

I'm sure LSU will really focus on chemistry but adding Morrow might be more than even Kim can manage. It was one thing when they added a guard but to add a player that is just like Reese might be too much for her ego to handle. They went from having one center of attention to three, it will be interesting.

 

[visitingcock]

UConn has the ingredients.

We'll see how the cooking goes.

 

[EricLA]

I 100% agree with @hoopsnloops32 and @AgStatesman - Some will obviously disagree, but IMHO UCONN is the team to beat next season, not LSU.

so we lost Dorka and Lou. Big losses. But who do we add? Let's be optimistic on health issues for a moment...

New players:

• A fully healthy Paige Bueckers, who as a freshman, was the NPOY. That is MANY times better than ANYTHING any other team out there added.
• Ice Brady, who not only was on the bench the entire season, but has also had lots of time to practice and grow with the team when she was healthy
• Jana El Alfy - a highly prized "Stewie-light" recruit with a big wingspan, great size, and mad skills for a forward who has also been with the team since January practicing, bonding, and working out with them all.
• KK Arnold - by most accounts a top 5-6 recruit and one of the 2 premier PG's in the entire class
• Ashlynn Shade - a "do everything" blue collar tough glue player who Geno won't pigeonhole into any one position. I think she may be the surprise of the class.
• Qadence Samuels - not uber high in the rankings (top 40 for the most part), but Geno and others seem very high on her. Will she have much of an impact on a very crowded and talented team? that remains to be seen, but her athleticism has been compared to Griffin, so Qadence had me at "Aubrey" LOL.

What about the returning players?

• I'm betting that Azzi was never fully healthy last season. Daniel Connolly nailed it when he said "Fudd’s success is entirely dependent on whether she can stay healthy. She’s a national player of the year talent when at 100%, but has a lengthy injury history dating back to high school and has only played in 50 of 73 possible games in her UConn career." Personally I think a lot of her problems are between her ears - I've never seen a player so good suffer from such a crisis of confidence. But the potential - wow!
• On Edwards - she has the chance to have a special senior year. Anything she adds to her arsenal will make her that much better. I'm hoping she plays at an AA level the entire season. She did at times last year, but not often enough.
• Nika - she will still have a crucial role, but i don't see her getting nearly as many minutes. And while her oft maligned shooting (which IMHO is off base) will continue to be discussed, I think her real problem is that she is too much of a 2-dimensional player. Sure she has tremendous energy and charisma, but i think she needs to add more variety to her dribbling and decision making.
• Griffin - to me she was an X-factor much of last season. There were some games where she dominated EVERYWHERE. Defense, offense, you name it. Other games she completely disappeared. If she has more consistency on the favorable side, watch out.
• DuCharme - poor kid. If she can keep her head out of the way of everyone's heads, elbows, knees, etc. I think she can be really good.
• Patterson, DeBerry, and Bettencourt - on a crowded and talented team, unless each of them makes big strides, they may find it hard to find playing time on the floor. Patterson, especially, was a bull in a china shop, but also a step slow almost everywhere she went. hopefully the game slows down for her. DeBerry and Ines are solid but on such a talented and deep team, unless they make bigger than expected strides, I'm not sure how much of an impact they will have.

I'd take a healthy Paige and Azzi as "new pieces" to UCONN every day and twice on Sunday over the addition of Morrow and Van Lith. IMHO, on paper, a healthy (and that's a very big caveat) UCONN is head and shoulders above every other team out there, and it's close, but really, not that close.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

I 100% agree with @hoopsnloops32 and @AgStatesman - Some will obviously disagree, but IMHO UCONN is the team to beat next season, not LSU.

so we lost Dorka and Lou. Big losses. But who do we add? Let's be optimistic on health issues for a moment...

New players:

• A fully healthy Paige Bueckers, who as a freshman, was the NPOY. That is MANY times better than ANYTHING any other team out there added.
• Ice Brady, who not only was on the bench the entire season, but has also had lots of time to practice and grow with the team when she was healthy
• Jana El Alfy - a highly prized "Stewie-light" recruit with a big wingspan, great size, and mad skills for a forward who has also been with the team since January practicing, bonding, and working out with them all.
• KK Arnold - by most accounts a top 5-6 recruit and one of the 2 premier PG's in the entire class
• Ashlynn Shade - a "do everything" blue collar tough glue player who Geno won't pigeonhole into any one position. I think she may be the surprise of the class.
• Qadence Samuels - not uber high in the rankings (top 40 for the most part), but Geno and others seem very high on her. Will she have much of an impact on a very crowded and talented team? that remains to be seen, but her athleticism has been compared to Griffin, so Qadence had me at "Aubrey" LOL.

What about the returning players?

• I'm betting that Azzi was never fully healthy last season. Daniel Connolly nailed it when he said "Fudd’s success is entirely dependent on whether she can stay healthy. She’s a national player of the year talent when at 100%, but has a lengthy injury history dating back to high school and has only played in 50 of 73 possible games in her UConn career." Personally I think a lot of her problems are between her ears - I've never seen a player so good suffer from such a crisis of confidence. But the potential - wow!
• On Edwards - she has the chance to have a special senior year. Anything she adds to her arsenal will make her that much better. I'm hoping she plays at an AA level the entire season. She did at times last year, but not often enough.
• Nika - she will still have a crucial role, but i don't see her getting nearly as many minutes. And while her oft maligned shooting (which IMHO is off base) will continue to be discussed, I think her real problem is that she is too much of a 2-dimensional player. Sure she has tremendous energy and charisma, but i think she needs to add more variety to her dribbling and decision making.
• Griffin - to me she was an X-factor much of last season. There were some games where she dominated EVERYWHERE. Defense, offense, you name it. Other games she completely disappeared. If she has more consistency on the favorable side, watch out.
• DuCharme - poor kid. If she can keep her head out of the way of everyone's heads, elbows, knees, etc. I think she can be really good.
• Patterson, DeBerry, and Bettencourt - on a crowded and talented team, unless each of them makes big strides, they may find it hard to find playing time on the floor. Patterson, especially, was a bull in a china shop, but also a step slow almost everywhere she went. hopefully the game slows down for her. DeBerry and Ines are solid but on such a talented and deep team, unless they make bigger than expected strides, I'm not sure how much of an impact they will have.

I'd take a healthy Paige and Azzi as "new pieces" to UCONN every day and twice on Sunday over the addition of Morrow and Van Lith. IMHO, on paper, a healthy (and that's a very big caveat) UCONN is head and shoulders above every other team out there, and it's not even really that close.

If they can all stay healthy, this will prove to be true. If the core three players can remain 100% healthy and there are some minor nagging injuries amongst the role players, this will will remain to be true but it might be a little closer.

 

[bovwa10]

I think LSU and UConn are definitely the top two teams entering next season. After that, I think there are a bunch of other teams in the mix: SC, ND, VA Tech, Stanford, UCLA, Tennessee, Ohio State, etc.

 

[Bald Husky]

LSU is a super team
UConn is a super team
Super teams do not always win National Championships
South Carolina, Indiana, Iowa, Virginia Tech, are all teams that have a chance at the Ring.
The best team will be crowned in April, which means it would be a disservice to the losing team if LSU and UConn would meet in the Cancun tournament. UConn would be trying to jell the return of Paige, the return of Ice and the other players that didn't get to play last year because of injuries. That would be an ongoing process. On the other hand, LSU will be trying to blend in three All Americans that were the Big Cheese last year on their respective teams. Neither team will be close to the team that will take the floor in March. What I'm saying in the winner would be the #1 team all season until someone knocks them off. I think the conversations will be more active all year if they don't meet. Remember 2 years ago when UConn lost to SC in the Bahamas. That loss stuck to UConn all season and as a result UConn was no longer considered a NC caliper team, especially with the injuries. I think the speculation all season would be fantastic anticipating that they may meet in the NC game. Again, UConn and ND were both undefeated a few years ago after they both left the BE. They did not play during the season, so the buildup to the match was unbelievable. If they do not meet in Cancun, the conversations will be more active and more animated throughout the season.

 

[Charliebball]

I'll let you know the evening of April 7th 2024........

 

[wingsfan055]

LSU will be pre-season #1 and probably will be for most of the season with their easy schedule. Perhaps SC will knock them off and UConn or another team will take over #1. The spotlight will be on Mulkey!

 

[bballnut90]

UCONN definitely has a case, especially if you consider HS rankings. No one else has multiple #1 recruits or can make a starting 5 of all former top 5 recruits.

#1 recruit-Paige Bueckers
#1 recruit-Azzi Fudd
#4 recruit-Ayanna Patterson
#5 recruit-Caroline Ducharme
#5 recruit-Isuneh Brady
#6 recruit-KK Arnold
#15 recruit-Amari Deberry
#15 recruit-Ashlynn Shade
#21 recruit-Aubrey Griffin
#23 recruit-Aaliyah Edwards

I see the Huskies as having a major star (Bueckers), a potential star (Fudd) and a top tier 2nd or 3rd option (Edwards), plus a slew of talented supporting players. I don't see this roster as a super team as much as a deep squad centered around a couple of stars (which is usually a formula for success). The UCONN teams that looked like super teams on paper IMO were 2001/2018 when both rosters were loaded with WNBA talent, returned all major players and brought in additional weapons.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

UCONN definitely has a case, especially if you consider HS rankings. No one else has multiple #1 recruits or can make a starting 5 of all former top 5 recruits.

#1 recruit-Paige Bueckers
#1 recruit-Azzi Fudd
#4 recruit-Ayanna Patterson
#5 recruit-Caroline Ducharme
#5 recruit-Isuneh Brady
#6 recruit-KK Arnold
#15 recruit-Amari Deberry
#15 recruit-Ashlynn Shade
#21 recruit-Aubrey Griffin
#23 recruit-Aaliyah Edwards

I see the Huskies as having a major star (Bueckers), a potential star (Fudd) and a top tier 2nd or 3rd option (Edwards), plus a slew of talented supporting players. I don't see this roster as a super team as much as a deep squad centered around a couple of stars (which is usually a formula for success). The UCONN teams that looked like super teams on paper IMO were 2001/2018 when both rosters were loaded with WNBA talent, returned all major players and brought in additional weapons.

Crazy to put Paige and Azzi a head of Edwards atm. Edwards will be the star and number one option until otherwise proven.

 

[bballnut90]

Crazy to put Paige and Azzi a head of Edwards atm. Edwards will be the star and number one option until otherwise proven.

When either has been healthy Edwards has been behind them as an option. Assuming they’re healthy this year, they’ll be option 1/2 and Edwards will be third.

 

[hoophuskee]

I see the Huskies as having a major star (Bueckers), a potential star (Fudd) and a top tier 2nd or 3rd option (Edwards), plus a slew of talented supporting players. I don't see this roster as a super team as much as a deep squad centered around a couple of stars (which is usually a formula for success). The UCONN teams that looked like super teams on paper IMO were 2001/2018 when both rosters were loaded with WNBA talent, returned all major players and brought in additional weapons.

Just as you and I agree that Paige and Azzi are ahead of Edwards without a doubt. With that said, we saw that Azzi was the top option early this year. But not only did we see that, we also saw what a force Azzi was when she was healthy. Much more than "a potential star." She was a star.

She hasn't played a lot of basketball healthy the last few years yet we saw with our own eyes that she was incredible early on. So much so, she matched Caitlyn Clark, the best player in wcbb this year. Not only that, Azzi was the leader of the team that beat Iowa pretty well with UCONN being up by 9 with 3:40 left. Iowa went to the Finals and yet UCONN led by Fudd beat them pretty well while Azzi matched POY Clark even though she hasn’t played much in her career but we know the accolades Azzi had received, and we saw them on display early on. She was a force that matched Caitlyn Clark and yet she is considered the 2nd best player on the team.

To further this, 3 years ago Caroline Ducharme as a freshman ended up being the #1 option for a cluster of games. You've pointed out how well UCONN recruits - well the freshman became the #1 option over former #1 recruit Williams, over #2 Evina,, over #5 Liv, and over Edwards. Asa former #5 ranked recruit that has showed this kind of ability, it would be heard to believe if she were healthy that she would remain stagnant for an entire year.

Thus, there is no reason to not believe that if UCONN were healthy, that this team wouldn't be a Super Team. Two 1st team caliber A/a's play an A/A quality in Edwards plus an explosive player like Ducharme. Overall this team has toom uch if heathy to not be a super team.

 

[bballnut90]

Just as you and I agree that Paige and Azzi are ahead of Edwards without a doubt. With that said, we saw that Azzi was the top option early this year. But not only did we see that, we also saw what a force Azzi was when she was healthy. Much more than "a potential star." She was a star.

She hasn't played a lot of basketball healthy the last few years yet we saw with our own eyes that she was incredible early on. So much so, she matched Caitlyn Clark, the best player in wcbb this year. Not only that, Azzi was the leader of the team that beat Iowa pretty well with UCONN being up by 9 with 3:40 left. Iowa went to the Finals and yet UCONN led by Fudd beat them pretty well while Azzi matched POY Clark even though she hasn’t played much in her career but we know the accolades Azzi had received, and we saw them on display early on. She was a force that matched Caitlyn Clark and yet she is considered the 2nd best player on the team.

To further this, 3 years ago Caroline Ducharme as a freshman ended up being the #1 option for a cluster of games. You've pointed out how well UCONN recruits - well the freshman became the #1 option over former #1 recruit Williams, over #2 Evina,, over #5 Liv, and over Edwards. Asa former #5 ranked recruit that has showed this kind of ability, it would be heard to believe if she were healthy that she would remain stagnant for an entire year.

Thus, there is no reason to not believe that if UCONN were healthy, that this team wouldn't be a Super Team. Two 1st team caliber A/a's play an A/A quality in Edwards plus an explosive player like Ducharme. Overall this team has toom uch if heathy to not be a super team.

Fudd was a star for those 6 games but the consistency piece hasn’t been there largely due to injuries in her career, so I wouldn’t classify her as a star on Bueckers/Clark’s level, though she had a great showing vs Iowa and has glimpses of brilliance.

Ducharme is another one similar to Fudd in that she’s had stretches of great play but more stretches of being injured or less than 100%. She was stellar in many games as a freshman and seemed comfortable in a big role, but her impact has directly correlated with Fudd being injured and her minutes often are greatly reduced when Fudd can play.
I don’t see an opening for her to get a lot of playing time next year with Fudd/Griffin back, so I think she’ll be in a smaller role though I believe she has the talent to play a bigger role and may slide into that spot her senior year depending on who returns. Also, Ducharme’s injuries are more concerning than anyone’s IMO considering they’re head injuries. Hopefully she’s healthy but being prone to head injuries is a scary thing.

Back to super teams—to me they are when you take a bunch of proven stars or go to players and they join forces to try and win. At LSU that’s clearly the case. At UCONN I think a case could be made with everyone hopefully healthy and if prized recruits Brady/Arnold/Shade are ready to make big contributions. At this point I wouldn’t classify UCONN a “super team” but if everyone is healthy and clicking on all cylinders they could be. Going into next year I’d say they’re one of the favorites to win the title next year along with LSU. I don’t think of a super team as a necessarily great distinction btw— they often have an overload of talent and are prone to chemistry struggles. They often out talent lesser teams but can lose to teams that have better chemistry on/off the court. Managing all of the personalities and talent present unique challenges that can’t always be overcome. Star players have to keep egos in check and be willing to sacrifice shots to set screens and take lesser roles. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

 

[JonathanXIV]

Crazy to put Paige and Azzi a head of Edwards atm. Edwards will be the star and number one option until otherwise proven.

 

[JonathanXIV]

I think being National Player of the Year is proof enough.