ESPNW's impact newcomers for this season.

[Stagnant]

I think strong is already UConn’s second best player. The notion by some that she might not start puzzles me.

 

[yhun89]

I am looking forward to seeing how Syla Swords plays in Michigan and how that all plays out.

I hope she succeeds there. Michigan lost a lot of its good players, so she might be carrying the team on her back freshman year. And especially being in the B1G with USC and UCLA there.

 

[yhun89]

The question about UConn's frontcourt is that none of the experienced players have played WELL.

Heavy disagree, Ice seemed to finally understand her role during the BE/MM tournaments. Hardly fouled and played clean D in the BE tourney, hit a few clutch shots against USC, and wasn't a foul machine. Had a good post up and some decent rebounds as well. Funny how more pressure on her back seemed to make her into a better player. I expect she takes a decent leap from her RS year this season. Not expecting anything superstar caliber, but I think she will be a lot better from last season if her tournament performance is anything to show.

Griffin is also technically a front court player/wing. She played great until she was injured.

 

[Bone Dog]

Heavy disagree, Ice seemed to finally understand her role during the BE/MM tournaments. Hardly fouled and played clean D in the BE tourney, hit a few clutch shots against USC, and wasn't a foul machine. Had a good post up and some decent rebounds as well. Funny how more pressure on her back seemed to make her into a better player. I expect she takes a decent leap from her RS year this season. Not expecting anything superstar caliber, but I think she will be a lot better from last season if her tournament performance is anything to show.

Griffin is also technically a front court player/wing. She played great until she was injured.

I think @Gamecockfan77 makes a reasonable point. If this were the UConn page, I can see fussing over his point. But on the general page, this seems like a fair assessment. Here the point is to understand other teams and other fanbase’s perspectives. UConn’s bigs have limited experience of playing well, much less than SC’s. This is why SC ought to be seen as the favorite to win the NC. But the potential we all see in Jana Ice Sarah and Ayanna is why I think UConn should be right behind them.

 

[yhun89]

I think @Gamecockfan77 makes a reasonable point. If this were the UConn page, I can see fussing over his point. But on the general page, this seems like a fair assessment. Here the point is to understand other teams and other fanbase’s perspectives. UConn’s bigs have limited experience of playing well, much less than SC’s. This is why SC ought to be seen as the favorite to win the NC. But the potential we all see in Jana Ice Sarah and Ayanna is why I think UConn should be right behind them.

I get that but saying none of them played well is false. We all know what AG is capable of. There’s no denying that.
We saw Ice have a good tournament performance.

Had they said “we haven’t seen any of them play well enough times/consistently to make a clear prediction ” or something like they instead of generalizing it to none of them are good, I would’ve understood their point better.

 

[MilfordHusky]

We don’t need to talk about repeating the undefeated season. Won’t happen. Can we threepeat the undefeated regular season? Doubtful. Has even Geno done that? 2017 when we backdoored the NC? Too lazy to look it up and not very important anyway.

Yes. In 2016, UConn was undefeated. In 2017, UConn lost only in the Final Four to Miss. State. In 2018, UConn lost only in the Final Four to Notre Dame.

Gabby Williams never lost a regular season game. She lost 2 National Semi-Finals games and did not play in the Stanford regular season loss.

 

[Tonyc]

Well I have to differ with the mention of UConns front court. Jana and Sarah are physical strong and mobile. With that said they still have to put the ball in the basket. Now do you really think they wont? I think its that simple. Add in Paige and Chen and down the road Azzi I kinda think they just might open things up with their ability to create and score. For you doubters look at our FF team last season, look at the additional improvements this season and well I think its pretty easy to dream big once again. BTW even with the injuries we have more roster players which is a huge improvement from last season.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

UConn wall have a better frontcourt than 90% of the country and will likely be a top 5 team, maybe the best team.

But they need a lot more from players who haven't necessarily played well than SCar does.

We may well find that Cardoso is the difference between SCar being an undefeated national champ and being a team that might merely be top 10, but I don't think overall experience is necessarily the problem.

It would be the irreplaceable piece that is missing.

I personally do not think SCar is just a top 10 team but it's possible.

 

[Bone Dog]

UConn wall have a better frontcourt than 90% of the country and will likely be a top 5 team, maybe the best team.

But they need a lot more from players who haven't necessarily played well than SCar does.

We may well find that Cardoso is the difference between SCar being an undefeated national champ and being a team that might merely be top 10, but I don't think overall experience is necessarily the problem.

It would be the irreplaceable piece that is missing.

I personally do not think SCar is just a top 10 team but it's possible.

I disagree. The NC is SC’s to lose this year.

As for percentages, UConn’s frontcourt is top ten — in potential. But the backcourt is likely to be #1. Yes, there’s injuries to recover from, but it’s not a strained assumption to think Azzi will come back strong. Just that pair, Paige and Azzi, is easily best, and they’ll be backed by Chen KK and Ash. Not even counting the freshmen or Q or Aubrey.

SC’s backcourt is tied for second with ND in my view. That’s why they standout for me, the #1 frontcourt and the #2 backcourt is a formidable combination. Could they lose to some teams? Absolutely. But these would be upsets and any favorite is vulnerable to that.

Naturally, I’m pulling for UConn, but I’m not blind to the dimensions of the hill they’ll have to climb. The entire issue in my view is whether UConn’s backcourt is enough better than everyone else’s to make up for any inexperience in the frontcourt. This has been the situation facing Geno for each of the last several years. I’d say it’s been the recurring theme of Paige’s career.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

I am a little more worried as a Gamecock fan about your freshmen from last season taking a big step forward than I am about the return of Fudd and/or Griffin.

Arnold moving forward, Shade making the shots she was very willing to take.

The potential depth is definitely disconcerting though.

 

[stwainfan]

From what I have gotten from coach Caldwell. I think Samara Spencer will have a impact. Her ability to bring the ball up at a fast pace.

 

[WBBTakeover]

I am a little more worried as a Gamecock fan about your freshmen from last season taking a big step forward than I am about the return of Fudd and/or Griffin.

Arnold moving forward, Shade making the shots she was very willing to take.

The potential depth is definitely disconcerting though.

Same here. Fudd and Griffin are what they are at this point. Sophomore year leaps forward by Shade and Arnold would really level the playing field for UConn against USC.

 

[Frankus]

I think Liatu King will have a bigger
impact than Karlen for Notre Dame. She was a a 1st team all ACC player last year and is the only player in the nation last season who averaging at least 18.8 points, 10.4 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game and one of two players in the past 15 seasons in the ACC to post those season averages.