Five unanswered questions for the UConn women’s basketball team as official practices get underway

[oldude]

I admit, I just do not understand the BY belief that Westbrook’s eligibility is critical for UConn success next season. Westbrook is a excellent player but she is not, IMO, a gamechanger. I watched her play at Tenn surrounded by other excellent players and she certainly was not a game changer for Tenn. UConn success, IMO, is tied directly to Geno, if the fire is still there, UConn will be successful regardless of the eligibility of Westbrook.

While I agree that Evina’s eligibility is not absolutely necessary for UConn to be successful this coming season, I do believe if she is eligible Evina takes the Huskies to another level.

While Evina’s performance with the LV’s was certainly uneven, at times she was brilliant. She was playing out of position at pg for a coach who barely had a clue and was prone to throw her players under the bus whenever the LV’s came up short.

At UConn, Evina is receiving a level of coaching and support that will push her to fully realize her potential. She will be primarily used at the 2-guard or wing spot where her ability to attack defenders off the dribble will make Evina a matchup nightmare for defenders.

 

[LoTrader]

Evina will be a game changer for UCONN

 

[Jmsdawg]

I cannot speak for others on the Boneyard, but while Evina may not be a “game changer”, she is definitely an impact player and answers our question about who should be the 5th starter. I watched her at Tenn and she was very good with little coaching. I would even dare to say bad coaching from Holly. She has a lot of untapped potential that Geno and CD can pull out of her.

With Evina, we are legitimate title contenders, without her I think we our ceiling is another final four. Not a bad ceiling but boy would I love to see another banner hung, and for Crystal to go out on top!

Final Four not bad for any team. Championship banner, IMHO, will go to Oregon, Baylor, or Texas A&M this season. Hope I am wrong and your dream comes true, prefer UConn over any of those three but my dream will always be MSST!

 

[Golden Husky]

I subscribe to the Courant every basketball season, and then cancel it because it has little to offer to me living in Alabama. Does not cost much, and they need the money to keep the paper going. I do not get unwanted phone calls, and my credit card is never billed randomly by the Courant. And I do not have to be a parasite , leeching off the honest work of others. Seems a small price to pay for news on the team that I want to receive.

My experience with Courant digital has been similar to Bama's experience: No phone calls or credit card overbilling and no problem canceling the on-line subscription at season's end.

 

[JonathanXIV]

Final Four not bad for any team. Championship banner, IMHO, will go to Oregon, Baylor, or Texas A&M this season. Hope I am wrong and your dream comes true, prefer UConn over any of those three but my dream will always be MSST!

I keep seeing comments like yours on the Boneyard, but I don't see Texas A&M being one of the top three teams this season. Sorry, I just don't. I see a number of teams as being better than them, including UConn.

 

[Tonyc]

Its going to come down to the 5th starter and IMO its Abebayo as of right now. If the NCAA grants Westbrooks eligible she will most likly start and we will be even better with depth of Adebayo Griffin and Makurat. Griffin and Makurat will need more time to learn the UConn system. Adebayo has NCAA experience and will provide more for us inside. Either way I like UConns chances alot. By the February we will be a much better team.

 

[FairView]

You and me both. And if one more person tells me I should look into an electronic subscription I'm going to go postal.

I love a physical newspaper. Even when I travel, I like to pick up a copy of the local paper and see what's going on.

However, I finally cancelled my print subscription to the Courant after 30+ years because the knucklehead delivery people couldn't find their way to my home before 8:00 on many days and they insisted on throwing the paper onto the lawn, rather than sliding in into the box. I miss the paper newspaper, but it is all there online. Maybe I'll try again someday. It is a shame that the industry is dying.

 

[Jmsdawg]

I keep seeing comments like yours on the Boneyard, but I don't see Texas A&M being one of the top three teams this season. Sorry, I just don't. I see a number of teams as being better than them, including UConn.

For me it is all about Chennedy, she can dominate a game both ways, positive and negative, but this year I suspect her supporting cast is more in tune to her and I fear they will be great. Hope you’re correct and I am wrong because Texas A&M is certainly not a favorite of mine.

 

[Charliebball]

For me it is all about Chennedy, she can dominate a game both ways, positive and negative, but this year I suspect her supporting cast is more in tune to her and I fear they will be great. Hope you’re correct and I am wrong because Texas A&M is certainly not a favorite of mine.

I can think of plenty of many things to fear but Chennedy Carter surely isn't one of them......................................I can't fathom how anyone could think that Texas A&M has a reasonable chance to win a national championship having to depend on a player that runs so hot and cold during the course of a game never mind an NC run.........

 

[Alydar]

I admit, I just do not understand the BY belief that Westbrook’s eligibility is critical for UConn success next season.

Here's one that doesn't believe it. Westbrook would provide incredible depth in the backcourt. Arguably UConn would have 3 AA's. But 2 AA guards are still enough to win a title. There are questions. Like Dangerfield she is coming off surgery.
Someone said "I watched her at Tenn and she was very good with little coaching". That only confirms her talent and individual skill level. We still don't know how she adapts to a team concept and how quickly she (and the rest for that matter) learns Geno's switching man to man.
She shows every sign of doing all that but what UConn needs to "insure" their season is a mobile power forward at or near AA level. And if Geno was talking to Griffin in that video then she isn't low posting anyone at this point (drive, OB, 3's only). If Walker can play down low then Westbrook could start at the 2-3 with Williams and UConn starters would match up with anyone. So the key to UConn is going to be Walker, not Westbrook.

 

[Geew1992]

Here's one that doesn't believe it. Westbrook would provide incredible depth in the backcourt. Arguably UConn would have 3 AA's. But 2 AA guards are still enough to win a title. There are questions. Like Dangerfield she is coming off surgery.
Someone said "I watched her at Tenn and she was very good with little coaching". That only confirms her talent and individual skill level. We still don't know how she adapts to a team concept and how quickly she (and the rest for that matter) learns Geno's switching man to man.
She shows every sign of doing all that but what UConn needs to "insure" their season is a mobile power forward at or near AA level. And if Geno was talking to Griffin in that video then she isn't low posting anyone at this point (drive, OB, 3's only). If Walker can play down low then Westbrook could start at the 2-3 with Williams and UConn starters would match up with anyone. So the key to UConn is going to be Walker, not Westbrook.

Not sure about the if. I think walker held her own last year and will only get better and stronger.

 

[soxfan23]

I can think of plenty of many things to fear but Chennedy Carter surely isn't one of them........I can't fathom how anyone could think that Texas A&M has a reasonable chance to win a national championship having to depend on a player that runs so hot and cold during the course of a game never mind an NC run....

IMHO, Carter is one of the most overrated players in WCBB.

 

[uconnfan68]

I love a physical newspaper. Even when I travel, I like to pick up a copy of the local paper and see what's going on.

However, I finally cancelled my print subscription to the Courant after 30+ years because the knucklehead delivery people couldn't find their way to my home before 8:00 on many days and they insisted on throwing the paper onto the lawn, rather than sliding in into the box. I miss the paper newspaper, but it is all there online. Maybe I'll try again someday. It is a shame that the industry is dying.

We still get home delivery, but its pretty sketchy. Often needs a broom to retrieve it from under a vehicle. In rain, almost always soaked. We get 2 others delivered (not all daily), and they both double bag. They are near losing me.

 

[Charliebball]

IMHO, Carter is one of the most overrated players in WCBB.

I think there are other players in college WBB that could proximate what Carter does if they were given the green light to shoot any time they wanted .........., Christyn Williams possibly being one of them.......

 

[Alydar]

Not sure about the if. I think walker held her own last year and will only get better and stronger.

So do I. She deferred to the seniors last season.

 

[j66kicker]

For me it is all about Chennedy, she can dominate a game both ways, positive and negative, but this year I suspect her supporting cast is more in tune to her and I fear they will be great. Hope you’re correct and I am wrong because Texas A&M is certainly not a favorite of mine.

Agree it's all about Chennedy Carter, which is why NWIH they even get to the FF

 

[Jmsdawg]

Agree it's all about Chennedy Carter, which is why NWIH they even get to the FF

I hope you are correct but I have seen Chennedy when she was so on it was impossible to stop her. If, and I agree it is a big if, she can play under control Texas A&M will be hard to beat.

 

[Charliebball]

I hope you are correct but I have seen Chennedy when she was so on it was impossible to stop her. If, and I agree it is a big if, she can play under control Texas A&M will be hard to beat.

I'm surprised that a Miss State fan would be worried about one player beating them.........after all Coach Vic has been known to get his teams to play some pretty tough defense........

 

[Jmsdawg]

I'm surprised that a Miss State fan would be worried about one player beating them....after all Coach Vic has been known to get his teams to play some pretty tough defense...

I do not believe Texas A&M is a one man show. Toward the end of last season I saw Texas A&M coming together as a team. If A&M plays together they will be formidable. As for Miss State, I think we will have a good chance to beat them. We play them late, freshmen should be adjusted to SEC play by then, and we are at home for that game. We will see how good of a coach both Shaffer and Blair are in that game because I feel coaching will be a key for that game. I can hardly wait for that game!

 

[CL82]

I cannot speak for others on the Boneyard, but while Evina may not be a “game changer”, she is definitely an impact player and answers our question about who should be the 5th starter. I watched her at Tenn and she was very good with little coaching. I would even dare to say bad coaching from Holly. She has a lot of untapped potential that Geno and CD can pull out of her.

With Evina, we are legitimate title contenders, without her I think we our ceiling is another final four. Not a bad ceiling but boy would I love to see another banner hung, and for Crystal to go out on top!

Yep, Westbrook makes us even harder to guard and let's us rest Dangerfield more. It's not that we need her to be successful as much as what she'd add to what is already a very good team. I think she'd make us a very tough team beat.

Oh and FWIW...

Westbrook coached by Geno >>> Westbrook coached by Holly

 

[Plebe]

I do not believe Texas A&M is a one man show. Toward the end of last season I saw Texas A&M coming together as a team. If A&M plays together they will be formidable. As for Miss State, I think we will have a good chance to beat them. We play them late, freshmen should be adjusted to SEC play by then, and we are at home for that game. We will see how good of a coach both Shaffer and Blair are in that game because I feel coaching will be a key for that game. I can hardly wait for that game!

Any team that has 4 players averaging double-figure scoring is clearly not a one person show. People can criticize Carter for any number of reasons, or criticize Blair's management of Carter, but Kayla Wells proved to be one of the most improved players in the country and finished 10th in the entire SEC in scoring.

 

[oldude]

Although Carter sometimes tries to do too much on offense, that can be an issue with all great scorers. I’ve seen that from great players like Ionescu and going all the way back to DT. I think Gary Blair would much rather have Carter with the ball in her hands down the stretch of a close game than any other option.

The problem with Carter has been on Defense. She all too frequently takes plays off on defense. That means her teammates are often trying to defend opponents 4 on 5. For Carter to truly be a great player, with the possibility of leading A&M to a FF, she has to play both ends of the court with equal intensity.

 

[LoTrader]

Any team that has 4 players averaging double-figure scoring is clearly not a one person show. People can criticize Carter for any number of reasons, or criticize Blair's management of Carter, but Kayla Wells proved to be one of the most improved players in the country and finished 10th in the entire SEC in scoring.

Exactly. Texas A&M has a very good TEAM (Carter aside)

 

[DefenseBB]

IMHO, Carter is one of the most overrated players in WCBB.

It’s not just your opinion as I think most of us on here do think she’s a chucker in the Arike mold, but A&M does have all 5 starters back on a team that made the Elite 8 and a very good coach who has won a NCAA title so they should be good, very good actually. Top 4? Not so sure as their OOC schedule and the SEC is not great this year.

 

[Charliebball]

It’s not just your opinion as I think most of us on here do think she’s a chucker in the Arike mold, but A&M does have all 5 starters back on a team that made the Elite 8 and a very good coach who has won a NCAA title so they should be good, very good actually. Top 4? Not so sure as their OOC schedule and the SEC is not great this year.

so you think they can win meaningful games when she's not playing well offensively?