Guessing how Geno handles the second half schedule

[victor64]

A little Christmas downtime so I looked into my not-so-accurate crystal ball to see how Geno might handle the Big East schedule and his two non conference games.

1. I don't think he will experiment as much with lineups as he has so far. I think he wants to keep increasing Serah's and Blanca's minutes. Even though the rotation shrunk against Iowa, I still think he is comfortable playing 8.

2. There are least 5 very good teams (Texas, SC, UCLA, LSU and Michigan) that could challenge them for the title. I think he uses some of the BE games to experiment with game plans that he might use against one of those 5. For example, he may not press at all in a game In another, he may put a governor on the fast break and insist that they run only half court offense. They are so talented that he can limit what they do and still beat some of those BE teams easily. His starters play all man. He might have them zone some.

3. I hope Caroline returns in full health and starts knocking down shots. They have been fine without her scoring so far but I, a long with everybody else, am cheering for Caroline to have a significant role by year's end.

4. I won't speculate like some have about why Gandy isn't getting more minutes. I am 100% sure Geno and the staff have a specific agenda for her. I must admit to being a little uncomfortable seeing her in uniform and not getting a minute or two when the team has a 50 point lead. I coached for 30 years and know that practice is everything and that Geno has never wavered from minutes being earned. I get it. Still a little tough to see.

5. I still wonder if Blanca eventually moves into the starting lineup. This is nothing against Ash who has been terrific doing Ash things. Ash going to the bench and starting Blanca is one way Geno could get the freak that Blanca is more minutes.

6. Kelis might get a bump in minutes but I think her big time minutes will come next year. Her playing time has certainly tested her patience but she had to expect a first year like this, especially when they picked up K9 in the portal.

7. There will be a game in which they only win by 20 when they were expected to win by 40. Many will over react. Geno's sarcasm may be on full display. He likes to put his team situations in practice in which they are at an obvious disadvantage. It may not be obvious but he could do that in a game.

8. Notre Dame and Tennessee at home will not be close games. Both aren't as good as last year. Geno isn't too subtle about revenging losses. Tennessee may have some things figured out by the time they meet but they are a mess right now.

That is all I have. What would you add?

 

[diggerfoot]

In regards to 4 and 6, I am more concerned about Fisher than GMM. Auriemma praised GMM for how mature she was and GMM stated she knew she had to learn and grow as a player. She may not stay with the program 4 years, but my sense is her role and playing time is what she expects.

In regards to 5, I will bet anyone a large pizza that Shade is not coming out of the starting line up. Despite her future AA status, I do not expect Quinonez to break the starting line up any more than I expected Sales or Ralph to do so, despite those two being better players than some of the starting five. Yes, freshmen start under the right conditions, but those conditions do not include the existing veterans almost always jumping out to the best starts out of any combination that can be put out there.

Auriemma repeatedly states how much he likes to know what he is getting, especially when what he will get is relatively mistake free, beautiful basketball to start games.

 

[oldhusky]

I think the rest of the season is trying to find out more about various combinations of the 8 or 9 rotation and enhancing their teamwork and consistency. A second priority is getting the rest of the team some minutes in blowouts that prepares them a little better in the event an injury gives them an opportunity to crack the rotation.

I think Geno believes developing the chemistry among the nucleus is more important than developing players outside the rotation, but obvious both are important. I think last year that approach seemed to work as the core clearly became more cohesive and effective over the course of the season, but in other years when we have been devastated by injuries, he might have wished that he had played the bench more minutes in blowouts so they were a little more ready for a significant role when injuries gave them an opportunity.

 

[TWG236]

I agree with diggerfoot, Shade knows both the offensive and defensive. She contributes to this team in so many different ways. We have won every single game with Ash starting, why would we want to change? Geno can always substitute earlier if needed.

 

[Forego]

A little Christmas downtime so I looked into my not-so-accurate crystal ball to see how Geno might handle the Big East schedule and his two non conference games.

1. I don't think he will experiment as much with lineups as he has so far. I think he wants to keep increasing Serah's and Blanca's minutes. Even though the rotation shrunk against Iowa, I still think he is comfortable playing 8.

2. There are least 5 very good teams (Texas, SC, UCLA, LSU and Michigan) that could challenge them for the title. I think he uses some of the BE games to experiment with game plans that he might use against one of those 5. For example, he may not press at all in a game In another, he may put a governor on the fast break and insist that they run only half court offense. They are so talented that he can limit what they do and still beat some of those BE teams easily. His starters play all man. He might have them zone some.

3. I hope Caroline returns in full health and starts knocking down shots. They have been fine without her scoring so far but I, a long with everybody else, am cheering for Caroline to have a significant role by year's end.

4. I won't speculate like some have about why Gandy isn't getting more minutes. I am 100% sure Geno and the staff have a specific agenda for her. I must admit to being a little uncomfortable seeing her in uniform and not getting a minute or two when the team has a 50 point lead. I coached for 30 years and know that practice is everything and that Geno has never wavered from minutes being earned. I get it. Still a little tough to see.

5. I still wonder if Blanca eventually moves into the starting lineup. This is nothing against Ash who has been terrific doing Ash things. Ash going to the bench and starting Blanca is one way Geno could get the freak that Blanca is more minutes.

6. Kelis might get a bump in minutes but I think her big time minutes will come next year. Her playing time has certainly tested her patience but she had to expect a first year like this, especially when they picked up K9 in the portal.

7. There will be a game in which they only win by 20 when they were expected to win by 40. Many will over react. Geno's sarcasm may be on full display. He likes to put his team situations in practice in which they are at an obvious disadvantage. It may not be obvious but he could do that in a game.

8. Notre Dame and Tennessee at home will not be close games. Both aren't as good as last year. Geno isn't too subtle about revenging losses. Tennessee may have some things figured out by the time they meet but they are a mess right now.

That is all I have. What would you add?

With the exception of the “I” word and senior night, the current starting lineup is fixed for the remainder of the season. Blanca’s sixth player role adds a new dimension for opponents to deal with and is reminiscent of the value of John Havlicek’s role for his first 7 or 8 seasons on the Celtics.

 

[Bone Dog]

I’m with @diggerfoot on Ash. She not coming out of the starting lineup for the rest of the season. I’d say for the next two seasons, since I think chemistry is most important and Ash is an important catalyst for great things at both ends of the court.

This is why I’m also with @oldhusky on the chemistry question. This is priority one for Geno from what I can discern from a distance. It’s what got the team to the finish line last season. It’s what he knows. It’s also why Jana is such an important element of the team. She’s a chemist and I am always encouraged to see her hyping up her teammates. There was a wonderful photo of her doing this for Kayleigh last week and it really stuck with me. Of course, there’s a natural tension between building chemistry for the core rotation and preparing the bench for emergencies. But this is surely what Geno knows better than any coach in the land.

I also share @victor64 ’s concern about Kelis maybe being disappointed by her playing time. Of course, she can’t realistically have expected anything else, but teenagers are not always very realistic. Also, the fact is Geno accepted Kayleigh’s transfer after Kelis committed. I’d be surprised if he didn’t warn her at the time that a transfer was possible, and any adult would have expected it after Kaitlyn’s departure. All this tells me that someone has to put in some work helping Kelis feel good about her situation.

 

[victor64]

I realize I am swimming upstream about Blanca especially since the points made in the above posts are valid.

Ash's history at UConn shows that she can thrive in either role.

If Blanca had more time during the preseason to get comfortable with living in a new country, playing with new teammates and adjusting to the demands of coach with huge expectations, she may have started from day one. She is that good.

We are now 12 games in, her increased comfort level is noticeable on a game by game basis. The awkward moments continue to decrease.

My major reason that a switch MIGHT occur is that as Sarah's play continues to rise so will teams begin the need to increase how much defensive attention she gets. With her size, speed and athleticism Blanca will make it difficult to shift more attention to Sarah. Ash doesn't have the offensive presence to do that.

Maybe the old adage "it isn't who starts, it's who finishes" applies here. IMO

 

[Molisanos]

Blanca is more than comfortable starting from the bench, she started from the bench almost every game of her career in Italy, so she know the role very very well. If everything is going right, why all this talks about change starting five?

 

[Bone Dog]

My major reason that a switch MIGHT occur is that as Sarah's play continues to rise so will teams begin the need to increase how much defensive attention she gets. With her size, speed and athleticism Blanca will make it difficult to shift more attention to Sarah. Ash doesn't have the offensive presence to do that.

I totally hear you. I think you’re right that Blanca will be important for keeping defenses honest with regard to Sarah. However, I have a feeling Blanca’s increased minutes won’t come from moving Ash out of the starting lineup. They will come from playing more ‘small-ball.’ A lineup of KK Ash Azzi Blanca and Sarah is probably going to peak in intensity and chemistry by mid-February. This is one reason to track @NycUcWbbFan ‘s rotation analysis posts. That’s where we’ll see the way various combinations develop. It is the proverbial proof in the pudding.

 

[huskyd]

A little Christmas downtime so I looked into my not-so-accurate crystal ball to see how Geno might handle the Big East schedule and his two non conference games.

1. I don't think he will experiment as much with lineups as he has so far. I think he wants to keep increasing Serah's and Blanca's minutes. Even though the rotation shrunk against Iowa, I still think he is comfortable playing 8.

2. There are least 5 very good teams (Texas, SC, UCLA, LSU and Michigan) that could challenge them for the title. I think he uses some of the BE games to experiment with game plans that he might use against one of those 5. For example, he may not press at all in a game In another, he may put a governor on the fast break and insist that they run only half court offense. They are so talented that he can limit what they do and still beat some of those BE teams easily. His starters play all man. He might have them zone some.

3. I hope Caroline returns in full health and starts knocking down shots. They have been fine without her scoring so far but I, a long with everybody else, am cheering for Caroline to have a significant role by year's end.

4. I won't speculate like some have about why Gandy isn't getting more minutes. I am 100% sure Geno and the staff have a specific agenda for her. I must admit to being a little uncomfortable seeing her in uniform and not getting a minute or two when the team has a 50 point lead. I coached for 30 years and know that practice is everything and that Geno has never wavered from minutes being earned. I get it. Still a little tough to see.

5. I still wonder if Blanca eventually moves into the starting lineup. This is nothing against Ash who has been terrific doing Ash things. Ash going to the bench and starting Blanca is one way Geno could get the freak that Blanca is more minutes.

6. Kelis might get a bump in minutes but I think her big time minutes will come next year. Her playing time has certainly tested her patience but she had to expect a first year like this, especially when they picked up K9 in the portal.

7. There will be a game in which they only win by 20 when they were expected to win by 40. Many will over react. Geno's sarcasm may be on full display. He likes to put his team situations in practice in which they are at an obvious disadvantage. It may not be obvious but he could do that in a game.

8. Notre Dame and Tennessee at home will not be close games. Both aren't as good as last year. Geno isn't too subtle about revenging losses. Tennessee may have some things figured out by the time they meet but they are a mess right now.

That is all I have. What would you add?

I believe there is another scholarship available for next season. Who gets it? Just as replacing Buckets, there is no one on the current roster who can step in and do Azzi things. I'd be happy to see a dead-eye emerge from the few out there. Who might that be?

 

[EricLA]

I totally hear you. I think you’re right that Blanca will be important for keeping defenses honest with regard to Sarah. However, I have a feeling Blanca’s increased minutes won’t come from moving Ash out of the starting lineup. They will come from playing more ‘small-ball.’ A lineup of KK Ash Azzi Blanca and Sarah is probably going to peak in intensity and chemistry by mid-February. This is one reason to track @NycUcWbbFan ‘s rotation analysis posts. That’s where we’ll see the way various combinations develop. It is the proverbial proof in the pudding.

Agreed. My $.02...

The starting rotation is set. Barring injuries, there is literally 0.01% chance Blanca starts over Ash. IF he were to move her into the starting lineup, it would be to start over Serah.

The really interesting (and good IMHO) thing about our team is that there is a LOT of room for improvement. Both Serah and Kayleigh are transfers here for their first season. Blanca is a freshman. Those 3 will continue to improve the most (IMHO) over the rest of the season. It seems he's settled on his core 8+1. The 5 starters, Blanca, Kayleigh, and Allie, then Jana as the +1. I'd like to see Allie and Jana especially get more minutes and I think the BE schedule will afford that.

I'd be surprised to see Azzi or Sarah play over 25 minutes in most of the BE games. Geno knows they are on the short list for AA and NPOY, so IMHO he needs to encourage them to both get 12+ shots per game (I'd prefer 15). When you have players like Crooks (4 games in a row of 30+ PPG and averaging 29 PPG), it's going to be hard to ignore them for awards. I get we aren't about individual accolades, but NPOY is a nice reward for anyone.

The bench minutes will be interesting. I expect Blanca to continue to see more and more time on the floor. Allie should feast on the Big East competition. I don't think a single starter will see the floor in Q4. I agree with the OP in more minutes for Kelis. To me, she looks really good every time she plays.

It seems (before her mysterious disappearance during a recent game) that Geno was really trying to get more minutes for Caroline. I'm not sure if she's showing him something in practice, if he's just trying to reward he swan song with as many minutes as possible, or if it's something else, but that will be interesting to watch the rest of the season.

No idea what happens with Ice if/when she comes back. She's not flashy, but is a solid defender, and competent out there. And Morgan - no idea what will happen with her. Ice only played 2 games. Morgan none. Some may disagree, but I'd rather see them redshirt and come back next season.

 

[Cuango]

Agreed. My $.02...

The starting rotation is set. Barring injuries, there is literally 0.01% chance Blanca starts over Ash. IF he were to move her into the starting lineup, it would be to start over Serah.

The really interesting (and good IMHO) thing about our team is that there is a LOT of room for improvement. Both Serah and Kayleigh are transfers here for their first season. Blanca is a freshman. Those 3 will continue to improve the most (IMHO) over the rest of the season. It seems he's settled on his core 8+1. The 5 starters, Blanca, Kayleigh, and Allie, then Jana as the +1. I'd like to see Allie and Jana especially get more minutes and I think the BE schedule will afford that.

I'd be surprised to see Azzi or Sarah play over 25 minutes in most of the BE games. Geno knows they are on the short list for AA and NPOY, so IMHO he needs to encourage them to both get 12+ shots per game (I'd prefer 15). When you have players like Crooks (4 games in a row of 30+ PPG and averaging 29 PPG), it's going to be hard to ignore them for awards. I get we aren't about individual accolades, but NPOY is a nice reward for anyone.

The bench minutes will be interesting. I expect Blanca to continue to see more and more time on the floor. Allie should feast on the Big East competition. I don't think a single starter will see the floor in Q4. I agree with the OP in more minutes for Kelis. To me, she looks really good every time she plays.

It seems (before her mysterious disappearance during a recent game) that Geno was really trying to get more minutes for Caroline. I'm not sure if she's showing him something in practice, if he's just trying to reward he swan song with as many minutes as possible, or if it's something else, but that will be interesting to watch the rest of the season.

No idea what happens with Ice if/when she comes back. She's not flashy, but is a solid defender, and competent out there. And Morgan - no idea what will happen with her. Ice only played 2 games. Morgan none. Some may disagree, but I'd rather see them redshirt and come back next season.

Ice cannot redshirt!

 

[iri10]

Looking at the rotations thread, I see a somewhat lesser-used but thus far effective lineup: KK, Azzi, Blanca, Sarah, Serah. It worked well in the Iowa game. That was the only "Tier I" opponent where Geno used the lineup. Overall, it's only been used for 8 minutes this season.

I'd like to see more of it, to figure out if it's actually good or if it's just random variance.

 

[hoophuskee]

I'm with everyone else on here that's for Blanca not starting. In big games as of right now no one is much of a backup to Sarah other than Blanca. As a freshman you have to have some worry for her to get into foul trouble. She gets into foul trouble then you have to play sarah 40. Though frankly in big tight games she probably plays 40 anyway. On the flipside she might become more cautiuos because of it, if Blanca gets early fouls.

 

[Bills Fan]

As I read this, and a few other threads, I see a number of you who are concerned about Kelis' minutes and that she is unhappy with that issue.

Where is that coming from? Has anyone read any comments from her abut her expectations. She has been a UCONN fan since her early high school days and knew, or should have, known that an incoming FR to a NC team was not going to start/play lots of minutes with Azzi, Ash and KK ahead of her.

Yes she looks good, not great, when she plays but please remember that she plays against the opponents' 2nd and 3rd team. She is NOT Paige Buckets as she arrives in Storrs, she is a good, not yet shown to be great PG. Give her time to develop and stop posting what some of you THINK she is feeling.

She is on a team headed to a 13th NC, practicing against and learning from some of the best Guards in the country and being coached by the best teachers in WCBB. I predict she will be able to refer to herself as a member of the NC's for the rest of her life. Pretty cool !

 

[BBallF]

A little Christmas downtime so I looked into my not-so-accurate crystal ball to see how Geno might handle the Big East schedule and his two non conference games.

1. I don't think he will experiment as much with lineups as he has so far. I think he wants to keep increasing Serah's and Blanca's minutes. Even though the rotation shrunk against Iowa, I still think he is comfortable playing 8.

2. There are least 5 very good teams (Texas, SC, UCLA, LSU and Michigan) that could challenge them for the title. I think he uses some of the BE games to experiment with game plans that he might use against one of those 5. For example, he may not press at all in a game In another, he may put a governor on the fast break and insist that they run only half court offense. They are so talented that he can limit what they do and still beat some of those BE teams easily. His starters play all man. He might have them zone some.

3. I hope Caroline returns in full health and starts knocking down shots. They have been fine without her scoring so far but I, a long with everybody else, am cheering for Caroline to have a significant role by year's end.

4. I won't speculate like some have about why Gandy isn't getting more minutes. I am 100% sure Geno and the staff have a specific agenda for her. I must admit to being a little uncomfortable seeing her in uniform and not getting a minute or two when the team has a 50 point lead. I coached for 30 years and know that practice is everything and that Geno has never wavered from minutes being earned. I get it. Still a little tough to see.

5. I still wonder if Blanca eventually moves into the starting lineup. This is nothing against Ash who has been terrific doing Ash things. Ash going to the bench and starting Blanca is one way Geno could get the freak that Blanca is more minutes.

6. Kelis might get a bump in minutes but I think her big time minutes will come next year. Her playing time has certainly tested her patience but she had to expect a first year like this, especially when they picked up K9 in the portal.

7. There will be a game in which they only win by 20 when they were expected to win by 40. Many will over react. Geno's sarcasm may be on full display. He likes to put his team situations in practice in which they are at an obvious disadvantage. It may not be obvious but he could do that in a game.

8. Notre Dame and Tennessee at home will not be close games. Both aren't as good as last year. Geno isn't too subtle about revenging losses. Tennessee may have some things figured out by the time they meet but they are a mess right now.

That is all I have. What would you add?

1. I disagree. Geno will play 9 not 8. Jana, Kayleigh, Blanca and Allie are the subs. If Ice was healthy all year, it would've been 10.

2. Not really sure about that. You put the brakes on you may get an unintended consequence. We ran and pressed all the way through the BE and NCAAs last year. Just because we started out so strong on defense this year doesn't mean he will hold them back and experiment. Why try to stop a moving train? Asking Blanca not to press and run is like asking Ohtani to bunt for a whole game.

3. Of course. It is so upsetting to see that incredible promise stunted. She was second team All BE as a frosh basically playing 1/2 the season. We all want to see a break out.

4. Exactly.

5. No. Ash starts all the way. Blanca is so much more effective coming in. I have seen her up close in two games, against USF and Saturday at Barclay's. She is so unexpectedly long, quick and strong it is a menace.

6. I agree. She will become a very, very good player here.

7. Is that from Hoosiers? Like purposefully letting Shooter coach. No, he is going on a straight line up. He knows this may be his best defensive team ever.

8. Watching Tennessee, it is a different team from last year. They are very big and strong but they had serious problems once Louisville pressed them. It ain't nothing like our press. As for ND, I am always wary with a player like Hidalgo. I take nothing and not one for granted.

I would add these:

9. Minutes get reduced for Azzi and Sarah and Serah as we go along the BE.

10. We still are better with a 3rd scorer as opposed to a 3rd scorer being different each game. I see more offensive opportunities for Ash, K9, Allie and Blanca. Last year's team became unbeatable when KC found her shot. That was a much smaller team since we did not have Serah and Blanca.

11. The defense gets ratcheted down even more. Perhaps a different full court or half court trap( the rotation on the half court trap is textbook).

12. He needs Jana for the FF and perhaps the Elite 8 so she will see more minutes. If Ice and Morgan are back, it's a whole new ballgame altogether as well. I will remind everyone as to how much Morgan played before she got hurt.

That's it. Just musings on a great team reaching its potential.

 

[BBallF]

I'm with everyone else on here that's for Blanca not starting. In big games as of right now no one is much of a backup to Sarah other than Blanca. As a freshman you have to have some worry for her to get into foul trouble. She gets into foul trouble then you have to play sarah 40. Though frankly in big tight games she probably plays 40 anyway. On the flipside she might become more cautiuos because of it, if Blanca gets early fouls.

Exactly. I also think Blanca is such a weapon coming off the bench. I don't care how much film you watch, she is just a very unique player who has broken open several games already by just her defense. You can't anticipate in an effective way that kind of athleticism bundled in a strong 6'2" frame with great length. She just keeps on going out there too. She never looks tired.

 

[diggerfoot]

My major reason that a switch MIGHT occur is that as Sarah's play continues to rise so will teams begin the need to increase how much defensive attention she gets. With her size, speed and athleticism Blanca will make it difficult to shift more attention to Sarah. Ash doesn't have the offensive presence to do that.

Maybe the old adage "it isn't who starts, it's who finishes" applies here. IMO

We have five starters who can score, and Strong is a smart player who passes well, so I don’t think this concern will come to fruition. Even so, the past few games Qiunonez substitutes first for Williams, not Shade. Improving production in the post, whether by improvement or substitution, would best alleviate pressure on Strong.

 

[my2cents]

Agreed. My $.02...

The starting rotation is set. Barring injuries, there is literally 0.01% chance Blanca starts over Ash. IF he were to move her into the starting lineup, it would be to start over Serah.

The really interesting (and good IMHO) thing about our team is that there is a LOT of room for improvement. Both Serah and Kayleigh are transfers here for their first season. Blanca is a freshman. Those 3 will continue to improve the most (IMHO) over the rest of the season. It seems he's settled on his core 8+1. The 5 starters, Blanca, Kayleigh, and Allie, then Jana as the +1. I'd like to see Allie and Jana especially get more minutes and I think the BE schedule will afford that.

I'd be surprised to see Azzi or Sarah play over 25 minutes in most of the BE games. Geno knows they are on the short list for AA and NPOY, so IMHO he needs to encourage them to both get 12+ shots per game (I'd prefer 15). When you have players like Crooks (4 games in a row of 30+ PPG and averaging 29 PPG), it's going to be hard to ignore them for awards. I get we aren't about individual accolades, but NPOY is a nice reward for anyone.

The bench minutes will be interesting. I expect Blanca to continue to see more and more time on the floor. Allie should feast on the Big East competition. I don't think a single starter will see the floor in Q4. I agree with the OP in more minutes for Kelis. To me, she looks really good every time she plays.

It seems (before her mysterious disappearance during a recent game) that Geno was really trying to get more minutes for Caroline. I'm not sure if she's showing him something in practice, if he's just trying to reward he swan song with as many minutes as possible, or if it's something else, but that will be interesting to watch the rest of the season.

No idea what happens with Ice if/when she comes back. She's not flashy, but is a solid defender, and competent out there. And Morgan - no idea what will happen with her. Ice only played 2 games. Morgan none. Some may disagree, but I'd rather see them redshirt and come back next season.

You rang?

 

[Bigboote]

We have five starters who can score, and Strong is a smart player who passes well, so I don’t think this concern will come to fruition. Even so, the past few games Qiunonez substitutes first for Williams, not Shade. Improving production in the post, whether by improvement or substitution, would best alleviate pressure on Strong.

I like Quinonez and Heckel coming in for Williams and Shade. It’s a totally different look on both sides of the court. I’m still giddy, two months into the season and still not at full strength, about how many looks this team can give, and can do each one well.

 

[HopJim]

I totally hear you. I think you’re right that Blanca will be important for keeping defenses honest with regard to Sarah. However, I have a feeling Blanca’s increased minutes won’t come from moving Ash out of the starting lineup. They will come from playing more ‘small-ball.’ A lineup of KK Ash Azzi Blanca and Sarah is probably going to peak in intensity and chemistry by mid-February. This is one reason to track @NycUcWbbFan ‘s rotation analysis posts. That’s where we’ll see the way various combinations develop. It is the proverbial proof in the pudding.

Well said. Also believe that Sarah is on, as the season goes on, she will need more rest. She will get her stats with all the league games coming up. Another version of the "small ball" line up could have Blanca relieving Sarah for 5+ more minutes a game.

 

[drweo]

I’m with @diggerfoot on Ash. She not coming out of the starting lineup for the rest of the season. I’d say for the next two seasons, since I think chemistry is most important and Ash is an important catalyst for great things at both ends of the court.

This is why I’m also with @oldhusky on the chemistry question. This is priority one for Geno from what I can discern from a distance. It’s what got the team to the finish line last season. It’s what he knows. It’s also why Jana is such an important element of the team. She’s a chemist and I am always encouraged to see her hyping up her teammates. There was a wonderful photo of her doing this for Kayleigh last week and it really stuck with me. Of course, there’s a natural tension between building chemistry for the core rotation and preparing the bench for emergencies. But this is surely what Geno knows better than any coach in the land.

I also share @victor64 ’s concern about Kelis maybe being disappointed by her playing time. Of course, she can’t realistically have expected anything else, but teenagers are not always very realistic. Also, the fact is Geno accepted Kayleigh’s transfer after Kelis committed. I’d be surprised if he didn’t warn her at the time that a transfer was possible, and any adult would have expected it after Kaitlyn’s departure. All this tells me that someone has to put in some work helping Kelis feel good about her situation.

Do we have any proof that Kelis doesn't "feel good about her situation"? Without proof, talk of her being dissatisfied is pure projection.

 

[Bone Dog]

Do we have any proof that Kelis doesn't "feel good about her situation"? Without proof, talk of her being dissatisfied is pure projection.

In most cases we have no proof for any of the speculations that proliferate on the BY. Some folks try to conceal this with stats, but it’s all finally just gut feelings and anxieties that get expressed in most threads. And if we say them out loud it makes us feel better about them.

 

[Bald Husky]

I believe there is another scholarship available for next season. Who gets it? Just as replacing Buckets, there is no one on the current roster who can step in and do Azzi things. I'd be happy to see a dead-eye emerge from the few out there. Who might that be?

Allie

 

[TWG236]

First, Ice can red shirt if her injury won’t allow her to play for the rest of the season. UCONN would have to apply for a medical wavier from the NCAA. She hasn’t played in the required amount of games to deny her wavier status.