Greatest UConn Teams by the Number --- Let the Silly Times Roll

[DobbsRover2]

With all due respect to Meyers, pitting UConn teams of different years against each other just seems a wrong approach to me because it forces us into a Sophie's Choice type situation with our favorite teams. But I have no such qualms about lining up teams by the number they wore because it not only makes perfect sense but it mixes players from different eras who generally aren't playing against younger or older versions of themselves. These teams have actually been going at it annually in a kind of Court of Dreams scenario (if you conceive it, they will mush their Husky teams on over). Here's how I would rate the full slate of 16 teams (at least 5 to a side) for the four rounds of the 2013 UConn Championship extravaganza.

Note: you might be wondering why Sue Bird, Kara Wolters, Nykesha Sales, Ashja Jones, Breanna Stewart, Ann Strother, Lorin Dixon, Laura Lishness, and Peggy Walsh aren't on any teams. The truth is that though they were top players, they are frankly just terrible at recruiting for their teams, so they are still consigned to the 3 on 3 and 4 on 4 championships, which are not covered here. Some players also wore more than one number, and I have assigned them to the team where they are needed most.

23 And Me's
Maya Moore, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Kennitra Johnson, Rita Willians, Willnett Crockett
Summary: After losing Swin Cash to a needier team, I'm not sure if this team has the required firepower ................ to beat many of the other teams by more than 40. Shooting gallery time.

33 Double Treys
Barbara Turner, Shea Ralph, Jamelle Elliott, Meghan Pattyson, Marlene Stager
Summary: Not sure if this team will actually be shooting many threes, but let's just say it is packed with grit and grind.

3's a Crowd
Diana Taurasi, Tiffany Hayes, Morgan Tuck, Tammy Arnold, Shea Matlock.
Summary: DT will have her work cut out for her leading her undermanned team to the UC, though fortunately 3's a Crowd does no longer have to play in the 4 on 4 league since Tuck joined the team this year. Still a little thin in the post, but DT and Tiff will be shooting from half court and daring the other teams to follow them out there.

31 Dazed
Wendy Davis, Carla Berube, Stef Dolson, Tina Charles, Jessica Moore
Summary: A nicely balanced team with a evil-looking frontcourt of Tina, Stef, and JMo and then Wendy and Carla to bring it up, this team has major punch.

50 Nifties
Rebecca Lobo, Renee Najarian, Leigh Curl, Marissa Jaye, Darlene Hedges
Summary: Three of the old-time great rebounders in Lobo, Najarian, and Curl also have a powerful scoring potential.

32 Degrees to Freeze
Kalana Greene, Swin Cash, Pam Webber, Kris Lamb, Courtney Gaine
Summary: The Cash machine coupled up with the Greene Monster in the paint and Pam and Kris icing them from the outside gives this group a chilling effect.

24 Hours to Go
Kerry Bascom, Charde Houston, Shelly Clymer, Mary Neubert, Beth Conrad
Summary: Kerry's used to her team being the underdog and has thrived on that. Sic'em.

25 Toppers
Mel Thomas, Svetlana Abrosimova, Michala Johnson, Brenda Marquis, Jennifer Weideman
Summary: Sveta will be trying to do everything while Mel will be taking a dive ..... after the ball.

20 Somethings
Renee Montgomery, Sandra Gavin, Stacey Hansmeyer, Morgan Valley, Colleen Healy
Summary: Renee has her team on the run, Morgan picks the other squads to pieces, and Bam-Bam provides the beat.

34 Faris and Company
Kelly Faris, Tamika Williams, Kelly Hunt, Stacey Wetzel, Daphne Roper
Summary: This team could be a little more focused on the defensive side, but no one shoots more accurately than Tamika, and Kelly will lock on to the other team's star.

11th Heaven
Ketia Swanier, Debbie Baer, Kelly Schumacher, Samarie Walker, Krista Blomquist
Summary: They got the roadrunner speed from Ketia and Schuie is in 2000 NC block mode as she seeks revenge on all her ex-teammates who used to ask her about the weather up there (actually, they meant Canada), but scoring will still be on the light side though Debbie is always eager to dish.

22 Skidoos
Ashley Battle, Amy Duran, Tammi Sweet, Jill Brumbaugh, Heidi Law
Summary: The Battle Bot will always be in attack mode, but the key here will be to get Amy to the FT line so that the penalty shot artist can keep them in the game.

14 Spirit
Bria Hartley, Tonya Boone, Meghan Gardler (needed here), Lori Kulo, Keirsten Walters
Summary: Bria will get them in drive mode and Meghan will deck the ref in the first minute of play to set up some spirited action.

41 Primes
Kiah Stokes, Cathy Bochain, Kaili McLaren, Paige Sauer, Susan Sturman
Summary: Maybe not a glitz group but still a team with some oomph, and you have a lot of pick potential here.

44 Magnums
Chris Gedney, Sarah Northway, Brittany Hunter, Christine Rigby, Sue Mayo
Summary: Perhaps not the most mobile squad, but the Big Rig and Hunter give it some muscle and Chris is a scorer even if she never had the chance to shoot the 3.

12th Fright
Stacey Marron, Nicole Woodall, Barbara Carter, Lauren Engeln, Marci Glenney
Summary: Okay, they're not really that frightful, but you know they'll be a bunch of underdogs playing like the Dirty Dozen and Stacey will no longer just be called in for the last few minutes to shoot a bomb.

 

[meyers7]

I like it.

 

[connboy77]

How far back did you go? Some of these players names I don't recognize!

 

[DobbsRover2]

How far back did you go? Some of these players names I don't recognize!

Some go back to the beginning of it all in the 70s, but back then there were players averaging in double figures too. As long as there are 5 names with a number, the team is in.

 

[pap49cba]

5's?

 

[UcMiami]

Very cool!

 

[DobbsRover2]

5's?

Doty and Conlon gotta push Chong to choose #5 so they can get out of the 4 on 4 league championship.

 

[diggerfoot]

If these are in order I would list the 3's second. Taurasi is a Bird-like team-enhancing player that can get even a hapless-to-mediocre mid-major collection of Indiana State "talent" to a championship, to be defeated only by another champion like Magic, er, Moore, with superior major-D1 Michigan State talent. In fact, the others on Taurasi's team make them substantially better (in relative wbb terms) than an Indiana State.

 

[DobbsRover2]

If these are in order I would list the 3's second. Taurasi is a Bird-like team-enhancing player that can get even a hapless-to-mediocre mid-major collection of Indiana State "talent" to a championship, to be defeated only by another champion like Magic, er, Moore, with superior major-D1 Michigan State talent. In fact, the others on Taurasi's team make them substantially better (in relative wbb terms) than an Indiana State.

Very possibly, but you gotta remember that this the first year in the 5 on 5 League for the 3's, who have been mainly just matched up with Ashja Jones' 15 Minutes of Fame and Doty and Conlon's High 5's squads the last few years, along with more obscure 40 Winks group. Will this be like 2003 where DT takes an underrated group all the way despite a not too formidable post presence? Could be, but Shea's 33 squad has its captain partying like it's 1999 and 2000 again, it has the indefatigable BT Express from that 2003 team, Jamelle will be hammering at DT and will be ably assisted in that task by Meghan, so Tiff and newbie Morgan have really gotta be up to the task. Just no easy road here to the UC finals. I'd give the 3's a year to settle in.

It will be interesting to see which team Saniya sends her Fantasy Letter of Intent (FLOI) to. Her Ossining #12 number is open and she would definitely help the less imposing 12th Fright team, but the 5's and 15's are the squads that really need her in order to move up from 4 on 4.

 

[Phil]

I don't think you've adequately considered a logistical problem.

Assuming you can get over the minor hurdle of time travel, so players can all play at their college levels of ability, what about the poor refs who must call fouls and identify the guilty party?

 

[DobbsRover2]

I don't think you've adequately considered a logistical problem.

Assuming you can get over the minor hurdle of time travel, so players can all play at their college levels of ability, what about the poor refs who must call fouls and identify the guilty party?

To tell the truth, all of these games are real grudge matches, so foul calls are kind of dispensed with except for truly egregious cases like messin' with the hair, so Amy Duran is wearing something big and puffy so she can get to the FT line. The refs are mainly there just to help CD sit on Geno when he starts complaining too much about the play selection. The 3's team was a little upset last year when Ashja and 15s' crew locked DT in the restroom again and wouldn't let Maria's 5's team get her out, but the nasty stuff of the 4 on 4 League is behind them now.

And as for the travel issues, after 8 NCs the Husky players are veteran miracle workers and problems solvers, and each Husky sled is the magic bus.