Geno says 30-win seasons are coming to an end

[cferraro04]

With regards to the future demise of the UConn program... We have been spoiled, of that there can be no doubt. What we as UConn fans have experienced has been nothing short of pampered, privileged and envied. Really, being able to say that our alumni list contains Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Maya Moore and Breanna Stewart by itself is enough to fit the above description but then you throw in the rest from the post 1993 era: Rebecca Lobo, Jamelle Elliot, Jen Rizzotti, Pam Webber, Kara Wolters, Nykesha Sales, Carla Berube, Rita Williams, Svetlana Abrosimnova, Shea Ralph, Asjha Jones, Swin Cash, Tamika Williams, Tina Charles, Barbara Turner, Anne Strother, Morgan Tuck, Moriah Jefferson, Stefanie Dolson, Renee Montgomery, Bria Hartley, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Kelly Schumacher, Ketia Swanier, Ashley Battle, Maria Conlon, Jessica Moore, Willnet Crockett, Nicole Wolff, Mel Thomas, Kalana Greene, and yes...Charde Houston (who maybe didn't live up to expectations but, had some very important and timely good moments at UConn), Kelly Faris, Tiffany Hayes, Saniya Chong...which brings us to NOW: Katie Lou Samuelson, Kia Nurse, Gabby Williams, Napheesa Collier, Azura Stevens, Crystal Dangerfield, our transfer: Batouly Camara, our sophomores: Kyra Irwin, Molly Bent, and our newbies: Megan Walker, Mikayla Combs and Alexis Gordon.

Are you kidding me...we have been treated to a plethora of talent over a generation of time...that is the envy of the entire college women's basketball universe. We have been blessed with great coaches, a university that supports the women's game and a fan base that is second to none. Is it even fair to expect this to continue? For our basketball socialist it is a dream, goal and in some cases a life's work to spread the wealth. Some say it is good for the game and no one would deny the truth behind that statement, however, I would argue that UConn's excellence and consistency is not bad for the game at all... Every sport needs a rabbit to chase, a trend setter, a pace setter if you will, an example that everyone strives to imitate and surpass. UConn has been that. The fact that Geno and Chris have been there for the whole ride will eventually go down as probably the best coaching duo in history. Will this come to an end? Possibly. See my entropy post above.

However, I would suggest that UConn (Geno/Daly) era will come to an end and UConn as we know her will also come to an end. However, depending on who comes in to coach, how they define their mission, how much does the university support the mission post Geno and how engaged the fan base stays will determine if there is a drop off in recruiting talent and hence quality of play. It will always be a challenge to convince kids that moving to the farmlands of Storrs is a better decision that the pristine, scenic environment of Palo Alto but, Geno, et al. have proven it is possible...so, we can all dream...why not?

Now onto our freshmen class...are our memories that short? Don't you remember how much our fan base and those here on the Boneyard were saying that of everyone in the class of 2017-2018 we had to have Megan Walker. She was a must get, a once in a life-time player...some said she played above the rim...of course, we haven't seen that yet. But, she was a must get talent...and we all stood with abated breathe wondering if she would choose UConn. When she finally did, we were all relieved and thought, Wow! We're all set for 4 more years. But, our fortunes got richer and richer...with Mikayla Combs...the speedy point guard who would be a back-up for Crystal. Then the two transfers A-Z and Batouly...another big Wow!!! Espinosa Hunter, another 3 point shooter and Lexi Gordon...who everybody wanted to play with and who would help recruit other players to UConn. So, we lost Espinosa-Hunter, for whatever the reasons...but think about it the remaining five are still one of the best incoming classes in the nation. Yes, Megan has yet to live up to her ranking...but, her minutes and opportunities to overcome her freshmen mistakes have not been there...partly because of her inability to break through on a consistent basis (we have seen glimpses of what she can be) and the rest of the freshmen bench hasn't shown the kind of growth that we would like to see.

To that end I say let's see what the sophomore jump brings us. There is going to be an uptick in minutes for this group next year and that is bound to pay dividends. We also have a fine group of freshmen coming in next season... As has been mentioned before "the sky is not falling". We still have the best coaches in the country and we are bringing back four All American players with a boat-load of talent behind them. I say we are a long way off from hearing the "fat lady singing".

 

[Orangutan]

I’m not sure where a lot of the concern comes in. The freshmen aren’t playing because your team is so loaded with talent that you have a former AA coming off the bench. Honestly there isn’t room for them on this year’s roster to make an impact. Yeah they’re taking time to adjust, but Geno makes statements like this almost every year or two.

I suppose it's easier if you're not a fan of the team in question? I don't doubt Geno's ability to win games with superior talent. This time next year, I suspect we will be talking about Walker's All-American candidacy. Yes, losing Collier, Stevens, and KLS will be a big blow, but by that time Walker will be a junior, Williams will be a sophomore and UConn will have two superstar wings to build around. As much as I would like UConn to fall back to the pack, I don't see it happening.

Teams that do need to worry are ones who over rely on one player (like South Carolina) or who graduate massive classes (Notre Dame in 2019-20, Mississippi State next year) without an influx of talent to replace them. UCONN always lands 1-2 quality kids from each class (usually including a #1 recruit), and as a result, the cupboard isn’t going to be bare until they stop doing so.

Can confirm, I am worried. Losing Mabrey, Ogunbowale, Shepard, and Turner all at once is going to be rough.

 

[mbr33ct]

At some point, after Geno retires, UConn WBB will likely go the way of LaTech and Old Dominion. There will be no reason for recruits to come to Storrs when Geno and CD retire. Also, being in the AAC and not being in a P5 conference will really hurt recruiting. The end is coming, it's not a matter of "if" but "when".

Same thing for us here on this world...the end is coming, it's not a matter of "if" but "when". When that time arrives will there still be a P5 around...and not merge into a P4, P3 or a P2 conference?

While on subject of Power Conferences, I have to admit this is the first time I have seen this (watching last nights game)...like the Avis car rental commercial of old...the AAC tries harder.

 

[NewCorn]

If UConn adds Ezi to ONO and Williams, I see 4 straight NC's ahead. What we should really worry about is a black hole showing up and sucking the earth into it. Then 30-win seasons will be over.

 

[Charliebball]

I'm confident that barring injury, next year's team is going to be very good perhaps even great if the sophs pick it up and if the two freshmen can contribute something..................from then on the team's future is easy to see....................if UConn gets most of the recruits it's targeting in the 2019 and 2020 classes I think the outlook will be very bright indeed................if they don't then that's a problem

 

[Charliebball]

I suppose it's easier if you're not a fan of the team in question? I don't doubt Geno's ability to win games with superior talent. This time next year, I suspect we will be talking about Walker's All-American candidacy. Yes, losing Collier, Stevens, and KLS will be a big blow, but by that time Walker will be a junior, Williams will be a sophomore and UConn will have two superstar wings to build around. As much as I would like UConn to fall back to the pack, I don't see it happening.



Can confirm, I am worried. Losing Mabrey, Ogunbowale, Shepard, and Turner all at once is going to be rough.

ND and UConn are fighting over several of the same program changing players..............who ever comes out on top is going to have a real qualitative advantage in the next few years............

 

[Charliebball]

If UConn adds Ezi to ONO and Williams, I see 4 straight NC's ahead. What we should really worry about is a black hole showing up and sucking the earth into it. Then 30-win seasons will be over.

OK..................which team has a black hole for a mascot????????.........

 

[oldude]

Heck I can only hope to look that good when I'm 63!!!

Geno has a lot more hair than me and I’m 62. Maybe it’s not so much how old he looks, but the weariness he seems to be carrying around with him this season.

 

[SCGamecock]

For the last few years I’ve noticed these kinds of panicky threads popping up around this time of year.. followed by just another undefeated regular season. Ho hum.

Are you guys really worried? I know I’m not the only non-Husky that would LOVE to have UConn’s roster for next year and the year after... if y’all don’t think Megan Walker is that good then can we have her? Pretty please!?

If anything, I think Williams will be a BIG loss after this season. Night in and night out, she’s the player on that roster that typically separates UConn from other teams.. a lot of teams have a knock down shooter, a lot of teams have mobile forward, a lot of teams have good point guards.... but 99.9% of the other teams don’t have a Gabby Williams. She affects the game in so many ways that don’t end up on the stat sheet.

But even with that loss... you still have Samuelson, Collier, Stevens as seniors. THATS HUGE. All 3 will likely be AA caliber and I imagine Dangerfield and Walker will enter the conversation as well.

Don’t even talk to me about recruiting... I’ll take Williams and Nelson-Ododa in a heartbeat. Both are players that I’m pretty sure would be Gamecocks if Geno had said “nah” instead... and in 2019, you’ll probably get Brunelle (I’m just gonna accept the fact that #1 recruits go to UConn for the most part) and another top 10 recruit. The Huskies reload, they don’t rebuild.

And y’all have the nerve to be worried.... I AM WORRIED.. we lose 1 of the most decorated players in SEC history after this season. Sure, I think our freshman Jackson and Grissett look better than most freshman .. but that’s because they get serious minutes. Jackson is a starter.. so she’s pretty much a year ahead of most in her class right now.. and our backcourt shows major promise for next season.. but still, losing Wilson will be huge. MSU loses 4 of their 5 starters and their bench doesn’t blow me away but I think they’ll still be good.

I will say this. After this season, I don’t think there’s any kind of significant talent gap between UConn and a few other programs.. UConn usually has a transcendent player on roster and next year I don’t see one either.. but y’all went undefeated this year without a transcendent player. On paper, Texas and Baylor look like goliaths heading into next season.. but I have reason to believe UConn will beat both.

 

[Rixxx]

SCGamecock, thanks for your thoughts. I believe ND will be reloading with their injured players back in the saddle. Turner and Shepherd will be a duo that will provide "opportunities" for most teams.

 

[Charliebball]

Geno has a lot more hair than me and I’m 62. Maybe it’s not so much how old he looks, but the weariness he seems to be carrying around with him this season.

I also suffer from Geno hair envy.................I've noted that look of frustration/angst on coach Geno for a long, long time usually brought on by his bench performing poorly

 

[mbr33ct]

For the last few years I’ve noticed these kinds of panicky threads popping up around this time of year.. followed by just another undefeated regular season. Ho hum.

Are you guys really worried? I know I’m not the only non-Husky that would LOVE to have UConn’s roster for next year and the year after... if y’all don’t think Megan Walker is that good then can we have her? Pretty please!?

If anything, I think Williams will be a BIG loss after this season. Night in and night out, she’s the player on that roster that typically separates UConn from other teams.. a lot of teams have a knock down shooter, a lot of teams have mobile forward, a lot of teams have good point guards.... but 99.9% of the other teams don’t have a Gabby Williams. She affects the game in so many ways that don’t end up on the stat sheet.

But even with that loss... you still have Samuelson, Collier, Stevens as seniors. THATS HUGE. All 3 will likely be AA caliber and I imagine Dangerfield and Walker will enter the conversation as well.

Don’t even talk to me about recruiting... I’ll take Williams and Nelson-Ododa in a heartbeat. Both are players that I’m pretty sure would be Gamecocks if Geno had said “nah” instead... and in 2019, you’ll probably get Brunelle (I’m just gonna accept the fact that #1 recruits go to UConn for the most part) and another top 10 recruit. The Huskies reload, they don’t rebuild.

And y’all have the nerve to be worried.... I AM WORRIED.. we lose 1 of the most decorated players in SEC history after this season. Sure, I think our freshman Jackson and Grissett look better than most freshman .. but that’s because they get serious minutes. Jackson is a starter.. so she’s pretty much a year ahead of most in her class right now.. and our backcourt shows major promise for next season.. but still, losing Wilson will be huge. MSU loses 4 of their 5 starters and their bench doesn’t blow me away but I think they’ll still be good.

I will say this. After this season, I don’t think there’s any kind of significant talent gap between UConn and a few other programs.. UConn usually has a transcendent player on roster and next year I don’t see one either.. but y’all went undefeated this year without a transcendent player. On paper, Texas and Baylor look like goliaths heading into next season.. but I have reason to believe UConn will beat both.

y'all seems to cover "all" UConn fans are worried. Is there a contraction word for "you and some"...y'some?

 

[JoePgh]

Don't want to get into a back and forth. Yep the kid T A&M, couple kids at TENN and one at SC. Just to name a few that are playing better

All you know is that they are playing MORE. You don't know that they are playing any BETTER. I'm about 90% sure that if they had all come to UConn, they would be sitting at the end of Geno's bench, and he would be making the same or worse comments about them as he has made about the freshmen that he actually has. And likewise, if Walker and Coombs were on the roster at A&M, Tennessee, or South Carolina, they would be getting a lot of minutes and maybe putting up some modest stats (and making tons of mistakes, most of which would not be corrected -- and they would keep playing while they continued to make those mistakes again and again.)

But I doubt that they would be learning to play basketball in a team system, including passing and defense, to the extent that Walker and Coombs are learning now as we speak. I will predict that if all the players in question stay healthy and stay at their current schools until they graduate, Walker and maybe Coombs will go higher in the WNBA draft than any of the players that you just referenced.

 

[the Q]

And I hope it's not anytime soon. Seeing the long tenures of Boeheim and Krzyzewski at their respective schools gives me a eyelash glimpse of hope

the Men's program is a better look.

UConn became a destination in both places because of literally one human being.

You take him away....you don't know what can happen.

It's just really really hard replacing a legend unless you can poach another top coach. And even then, no one has proven they can keep this machine humming, but they can keep UConn a contender.

Someone like say Walz or Vic Schaefer could be an interesting selection. But then again, who wants to be the guy following Geno? As far as shadows go, he's basically the dark side of the moon.

 

[Gus Mahler]

I know we will have a great pair of recruits next season, but even if they fully live up to their HS rankings, they won't be able to fully compensate for the lack of significant further development in the 1916-18 classes."

Yes, those classes have found themselves in a pretty deep hole.

 

[Bama fan]

When I woke up this morning and starting reading this thread, I immediately tuned into the Weather Channel to see if, in fact, the sky was falling or if the forecast was for the Armageddon asteroid was predicted to hit our planet in 2019-20. Luckily, no such forecast was shown and I breathed a sigh of relief.

So on March 5, at 30-0, scheduled to play a nicely coached Bearcat team who poses no real threat to the Huskies-why are we talking about this?

There are a couple of thoughts that I hope many think about that were presented on this thread: Geno is not God-which is true, he is a basketball savant however and he knows it is on him to develop a bench. I think his current issue is a "relative value trade" concept-the bench pales in comparison to the "starting 6". Seriously, 4 of the 6 are legitimate candidates for 1st All-American, 3 of them ARE ALL-AMERICANS. Z and Crystal Dangerfield are going to be All-Americans either next year for Z and/or in two years for Crystal Dangerfield. That is pretty daunting to compare a 6 person squad who just KNOW what to do every time down the court to 6 other not as heralded players whose skill or maturity level is not the same.

Coaching is about adjusting and when the team chemistry changes each year, Geno, CD, Shea and Marissa all rethink their strategy. I have no doubt they will do much the same over the next few seasons. Water seeks it's own level, meaning, players develop at different paces even when pushed. MW has shown glimpses, maybe not as many as Crystal Dangerfield did last year but MW is in a significantly different position than what Crystal Dangerfield was in. When she's with the second unit, she looks more comfortable and confident. Camara needs to show the effort in practices to get more playing time as she is a true talent and force down in the block, why she doesn't play more is a headscratcher to me. Coombs is an unknown to me. Her shot is odd and suspect for too many blocks against it and her slashing ability is unknown.

Yes, at some point, the UConn team will again encounter 2, 3, 4 or even 5 loss seasons-heaven forbid!!! And yet, while Geno is here, the TEAM will evolve each year like it always has and will be considered a favorite to advance to the Final Four like it has for the past 15 years, 10 of which have been successfully navigated.

Now, can we get back to the regularly scheduled programming of the 2017-18 Championship Season March? (see what I did there with the word "March"? )

DefenseBB

When I awoke this morning and started reading this thread, my wife was still asleep and she had the TV remote so the weather channel was not an option. So I just doubled up on the heart meds and kept reading. Good post DBB. But it is not fair of you to give us the "see what I did there" stuff. Half the fun of this board is looking for the see what I did there stuff! Kind of like Lumosity without the bill!

 

[DefenseBB]

When I awoke this morning and started reading this thread, my wife was still asleep and she had the TV remote so the weather channel was not an option. So I just doubled up on the heart meds and kept reading. Good post DBB. But it is not fair of you to give us the "see what I did there" stuff. Half the fun of this board is looking for the see what I did there stuff! Kind of like Lumosity without the bill!

Fair enough but as you have seen some people just miss outright...You would think at tournament time, the board would be on their best alertness but alas, no...

 

[DefenseBB]

...I will say this. After this season, I don’t think there’s any kind of significant talent gap between UConn and a few other programs.. UConn usually has a transcendent player on roster and next year I don’t see one either.. but y’all went undefeated this year without a transcendent player. On paper, Texas and Baylor look like goliaths heading into next season.. but I have reason to believe UConn will beat both.

Let me dispense with the perfunctory congratulations to you, SCSpur and Cock for a great game yesterday and for Wilson's otherworldly "announce with authority" POY statement. Nice job. I hope Ty Harris continues as well as Herbert Harrington and Jackson...Looking good.

Now for the 3 comments above that I have highlighted as I, for one am not as worried as some of the others on here as #1, as recently as 5/6 years ago, Geno and team lost 4/5 games each of those years. I know the lawsuit is still pending against him for that but I digress.

The team will be very, very good next year with a known commodity starting 5-KLS, Pheesa, Z, Crystal Dangerfield and MW. Plus Batouly, CW as spellers for the 5. That's 2 known ALL-AMERICANs and a 6'6" lithe offensive force and our very accomplished point guard...That's better than anyone from what I see.

The next best team is ND (Arike, Mabry, Shepard, Young and some lady named Brianna Turner).

Let's address your Texas/Baylor comment- Texas loses too much guard play in Atkins and McCarty and Holmes for all her athleticism does not play smart. I think tonight's game will continue to expose Holmes wanting to be Lebron Jr, without the passing skills-she's good for one full court dribble and drive...Baylor loses Wallace and Cohen. Maybe the Morris and Richards step up as key players with Cox and Brown and maybe Brown learns NOT to commit stupid fouls but I will believe it when I see it.

As UConn plays both ND and Baylor, that will be decided on the court.

My main aghast is your middle point of a lack of a transcendent player-I postulate one KLS!!!

 

[Junkaroo Jam]

All you know is that they are playing MORE. You don't know that they are playing any BETTER. I'm about 90% sure that if they had all come to UConn, they would be sitting at the end of Geno's bench, and he would be making the same or worse comments about them as he has made about the freshmen that he actually has. And likewise, if Walker and Coombs were on the roster at A&M, Tennessee, or South Carolina, they would be getting a lot of minutes and maybe putting up some modest stats (and making tons of mistakes, most of which would not be corrected -- and they would keep playing while they continued to make those mistakes again and again.)

But I doubt that they would be learning to play basketball in a team system, including passing and defense, to the extent that Walker and Coombs are learning now as we speak. I will predict that if all the players in question stay healthy and stay at their current schools until they graduate, Walker and maybe Coombs will go higher in the WNBA draft than any of the players that you just referenced.

Yea Yea Yea as I said I didn't want to get into a back and forth but since you continue to discuss Walker let me say this: do you see how Walker tries to play defense she looks like a bull fighter saying ola as the other player blows by her on their way to the basket and Walker trying to chase them down. Let me just point out that Walker has not lived up to expectations as a scorer or as a defensive player and with the two new recruits she has a pretty good chance of riding the bench next year unless she packs her duffle bag and moves on.

 

[bballnut90]

I suppose it's easier if you're not a fan of the team in question? I don't doubt Geno's ability to win games with superior talent. This time next year, I suspect we will be talking about Walker's All-American candidacy. Yes, losing Collier, Stevens, and KLS will be a big blow, but by that time Walker will be a junior, Williams will be a sophomore and UConn will have two superstar wings to build around. As much as I would like UConn to fall back to the pack, I don't see it happening.



Can confirm, I am worried. Losing Mabrey, Ogunbowale, Shepard, and Turner all at once is going to be rough.

Agreed. I think it's a scary outlook for Notre Dame fans unless they can nab a couple of top recruits. Those are 4 tough players to replace and there aren't a ton of other top 10 kids coming through.

Tennessee is another program where there should be a lot of concern. First and foremost, we have Holly coaching, and there's no sign that she's planning to stop anytime soon. Second, Tennessee has zero proven or highly touted post players next year with Russell and forward Jaime Nared departing. The post options will be:

Kamera Harris-I'm not sure she's really a D1 caliber player
Kasiyahna Kushkituah-#55 rated player from 2017 who hasn't been able to earn any playing time. Very raw.
Cheridene Green-JUCO transfer who has had some good games, but overall averages 3.9 points and 3.5 rebounds
Amira Collins-#69 rated player from 2018. She'll be a freshman.

I cannot recall Tennessee ever being this weak in the post. Almost every year we've had at least 1-2 highly rated post players going back 20+ years. We need players to improve massively or we need to grab a graduate transfer. If neither of those happen, it will likely be another tough year.

On the flip side, we will have a surplus of guards next year with the 2 freshmen, Massengill, Green, Burrell and Meme Jackson all competing for 3 spots on the court. I'm not a fan of overloaded or underloaded rosters, and Holly somehow managed to accomplish both for next season.

 

[bschwartz]

I've said before, I'm not worried about next year. KLS, Collier and Stevens as Sr's?

It is possible that both Collier and Stevens could leave after this season if they chose to.

 

[geneticrex]

He's just getting next year's coach of the year campaign started early. You have to make coaching #1-ranked recruits look difficult somehow.

The Lady Vols seem to have mastered that feat.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Now, for anyone who is saying recruiting is getting harder, UCONN is missing out on post recruits, etc, keep in mind you have the #5 recruit coming in next year who is a post, and it sounds like you’re in the mix for several in 2019.

Next year you’ll have three #1 recruits on the roster, plus Dangerfield, Stevens, Collier, and a top 5 freshman coming in. No need to worry about racking up another likely undefeated season.

Think you're in for a surprise when you see UConn defend without Gabby and Nurse. Won't be the same. Talented as Stevens is, she's a foul waiting to happen and is slow-footed defensively. Walker is very slow-footed defensively.

Road games in Baylor, Notre Dame, and Louisville. If UConn goes undefeated through that it'll be one Geno's better coaching jobs.

 

[Bronx23]

I've said before, I'm not worried about next year. KLS, Collier and Stevens as Sr's? With Dangerfield running the point. Those 4 and anyone of us have a decent shot at a NC.

Between Walker , Camara, Williams, ONO, Irwin, Coombs, Bent, Gordon (possibly Magbegor), I imagine Geno can find 2-3 players who can contribute.

2 years down the road? Who knows how the players will develop. But normally they tend to develop pretty well at UCONN. As long as UCONN is getting the talent, which they still seem to be doing.
But Dangerfield, Williams, Walker, Camara, ONO wouldn't be a bad starting 5 to think about.

Remember, towards the end of Jefferson's FR year, there were some on the BY who had their doubts she would ever be able to contribute meaningfully. And she become arguably the best UCONN PG ever.

So relax. Don't think too far down the road. Things will probably change drastically.

I think this is the best post so far in this thread.
On one hand how can one not be concerned losing first Kia and Gabby. I actually think next years team will be very strong with the four superstars and the four or five who might make real strides.
Two years from now then you lose three more great players so how does one recover. Well last year CD had some moments where she shined but was basically a big disappointment. Look at her now! No one knows how MW and maybe Batouly will develop. Also occasionally a freshman comes in and outperforms usual freshman capabilities. I think either or both
Williams or Ono might be one of that ilk. And what happens if we get Ezi the picture looks quite a bit brighter.
We then don't even know which of the heavily recruited class of 2019, 2020 & 2021 will join U Conn.
Again it's understandable the worry and concern, but the bigger and more real worry is when Geno & CD decide it's time for them.
Please don't run into traffic, cash in all your IRA's, completely panic just yet. A few therapy sessions might be in order maybe in two years from now and maybe not!
That's why life and U Conn's women's BB has meaning and worth.
Hang in there!
Let's just hope we don't follow in Tennessee's path. Somewhere between that and where we are now will still be pretty darn special!!
Bronx23

 

[Bronx23]

I’m not sure where a lot of the concern comes in. The freshmen aren’t playing because your team is so loaded with talent that you have a former AA coming off the bench. Honestly there isn’t room for them on this year’s roster to make an impact. Yeah they’re taking time to adjust, but Geno makes statements like this almost every year or two.

Freshman regularly struggle or take time to develop at Connecticut. We’ve seen it over and over again where players will be in Geno’s dog house and things eventually click for them, and they make massive improvements. It just happened this last off season with Dangerfield making strides, and the year before that we saw Williams and Collier make massive improvements. I doubt anyone expected Chong, Gabby Williams, Stef Dolson, Moriah Jefferson, and several other UCONN players to develop into the seniors they’d become if you saw them as freshmen. Give them time before worrying about them.

For anyone worried about players transferring, keep in mind it is incredibly rare for a player with a future at UCONN to transfer. The only example I can think of is Samarie Walker leaving mid year as a freshman. All other transfers were players who recognized they’d never contribute during important games.

Now, for anyone who is saying recruiting is getting harder, UCONN is missing out on post recruits, etc, keep in mind you have the #5 recruit coming in next year who is a post, and it sounds like you’re in the mix for several in 2019.

Next year you’ll have three #1 recruits on the roster, plus Dangerfield, Stevens, Collier, and a top 5 freshman coming in. No need to worry about racking up another likely undefeated season.

The year after you’ll still have 2 top recruits, Dangerfield, ONO, any players from the 2019 haul, and the currrent freshmen will be juniors, and will likely be much better by that point.

Teams that do need to worry are ones who over rely on one player (like South Carolina) or who graduate massive classes (Notre Dame in 2019-20, Mississippi State next year) without an influx of talent to replace them. UCONN always lands 1-2 quality kids from each class (usually including a #1 recruit), and as a result, the cupboard isn’t going to be bare until they stop doing so.

Wow someone here exists who isn't in a panic! Amazing! Great post - right on!
Bronx23