Gusters to Baylor

[CL82]

#FireGeno

I know he hasn't gotten a talented recruit for like two weeks. Must be the knee surgery.

 

[Carnac]

Not a good way to begin the week. I was hoping to read about a commitment today, but this isn't what I had in mind. I was looking for a commitment from her this week or next to UConn, not to another program.

I still believe Geno will not rest until he has at least one more BIG in the fold for next season (and beyond). There are still uncommitted bigs that are available to come to UConn and help them in the very near future.

I’m going to continue to take the “Alfred E Neuman” approach to UConn’s recruiting efforts going forward. Lets turn our attention forward and focus on who is still available. Let's see where UConn is on June 15. It would not surprise me to hear an announcement by the 15th that UConn has received a commitment from one or two BIGS.

 

[uconnfan68]

So this year,

Nataija Marshall (6'6")- Notre Dame
Cameron Brink (6'4")- Stanford
Hannah Gusters (6'4") Baylor
Angela Dugalic (6'4") Oregon

Last year:
Aliyah Boston (6'4") South Carolina
Ashten Prechtel (6'5") Stanford
Maori Davenport (6'4") Rutgers
Laeticia Amihere (6'3") South Carolina
Kennedy Brown (6'6") Oregon State
River Baldwin (6'5") Florida State

The year before that:

Charli Collier (6'5") Texas
Shakira Austin (6'5") Maryland
Sedona Prince (6'7") Baylor
Andrea Aquino (6'9") Oregon State
Olivia Owens (6'4") Maryland

So we got ONO. But that is a whole heckuva lot of talented bigs who couldn't be bothered to attend the premier WCBB program in the country. WOW!

That's a lot of "No's". And a whole lot of "yes's" to our biggest competitors.

Perhaps Coach Geno needs to boost his assistant coaching staff who have big responsibility for recruiting. Perhaps the loss of Marisa Moseley is hurting more than was expected. Whatever the cause, that is a huge number of top post players who have said no to UConn, and continue to say no to UConn.

We can continue to view everything through rose-colored glasses, but someone who is being realistic has to admit that we have a problem recruiting posts. Yes, we got Tina Charles and Rebecca Lobo. But that was years ago. And look at the bigs on the bench right now of Oregon State, Oregon, Baylor, Maryland, and others. Yet we're going into the new season with one player who can possibly be considered front court.

Something's not working here. A stable full of guards will not get us to a national championship, no matter how the people here want to deny reality.

Just so you understand, Geno didn’t bother to recruit many of them. I’ll trust him.

 

[lebronfan23]

Can’t wait wait for UConn to beat Baylor next season in Storrs!

 

[DaBball]

Can’t wait wait for UConn to beat Baylor next season in Storrs!

I think we will definitely have an advantage on the perimeter, especially if Westbrook is eligible, but the question will be inside.

 

[Plebe]

So Gusters will be a freshman at Baylor when both Smith and Egbo are juniors. Interesting.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

I think we will definitely have an advantage on the perimeter, especially if Westbrook is eligible, but the question will be inside.

Smith, DeCosta, Egbo, and Cox? Not really much of a question.

 

[DaBball]

Smith, DeCosta, Egbo, and Cox? Not really much of a question.

Yes they will have an advantage inside, but will it outweigh our perimeter advantage?

 

[Plebe]

How long before that one dude shows back up here with one of his epic panic attacks?

 

[DaBball]

So Gusters will be a freshman at Baylor when both Smith and Egbo are juniors. Interesting.

Not like it hasn’t happened before with Mompremier, Brown, Cox, and then the other post but she wasn’t great.

 

[Bayloralum]

Can’t wait wait for UConn to beat Baylor next season in Storrs!

Haha it’ll be a great match for sure! Our guard play will be fine! Juicy, Didi, moon and Honesty and jordyn will be great in the backcourt! Can y’all be able to stop cox, Egbo, and Smith in the post though?

 

[Dove]

Stop bein snotty. Seriously.

James Harden was being snotty. Not vowleguy.

 

[oldude]

She has been so lowkey. She is really good friends with the Mississippi State commit for 2019 and already took a visit, so I’m guessing they’re a legit contender too.

MS St already has 4 players over 6’4” who will all be there until at least the 2021-22 season if none of them transfer. I guess if Cardozo also became a Bulldog, Vic could field the 1st starting 5 in the history of WBB with everyone 6’4” or taller.

 

[DaBball]

MS St already has 4 players over 6’4” who will all be there until at least until the 2021-22 season if none of them transfer. I guess if Cardozo also became a Bulldog, Vic could field the 1st starting 5 in the history of WBB with everyone 6’4” or taller.

Would be interesting to see that vs. Rueck’s 6’9, 6’9, 6’7, 6’6, and 6’3 lineup.

 

[Crossover]

Haha it’ll be a great match for sure! Our guard play will be fine! Juicy, Didi, moon and Honesty and jordyn will be great in the backcourt! Can y’all be able to stop cox, Egbo, and Smith in the post though?

Do we have to play 5 on 8?

 

[MilfordHusky]

I'm disappointed but not totally surprised. Hannah prominently displayed the photo of herself, CD, and Geno for a while. But more recently, she displayed a pic of a new Baylor building. I guess Kim's appeal for bigs to come to Waco resonated with Hannah.

Hopefully, we can get Cardoso. Lord knows she doesn't want to stay in Tennessee!

We still need height to supplement Liv. A nice power forward or an uber-athletic wing would be welcome. Amari DeBerry is said by some to like UConn.

I was in the Netherlands two weeks ago. It is the nation with the tallest people. I think we should look for someone there who prefers athletic shoes to wooden shoes.

 

[Bayloralum]

Do we have to play 5 on 8?

Probably 5 vs 8 but with the refs lol

 

[tower1]

You are assuming that we made offers to all those posts. Not even close. For good reason. Assuming that everyone 6' 4" or taller is good enough to play at UConn is absurd.

Maybe we should start to offer all of them, we haven't been getting any posts if you have noticed. Maybe some thing should change.

 

[Dokey]

Of course big recruits might look at ONO and say she has post for next three years and turn their attention elsewhere.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Of course big recruits might look at ONO and say she has post for next three years and turn their attention elsewhere.

Gusters came all the way to Storrs last October knowing ONO was there. I doubt that influenced her.

 

[SECbbfan24]

Of course big recruits might look at ONO and say she has post for next three years and turn their attention elsewhere.

Baylor is dramatically deeper in the post and she still choose Baylor. Doubt ONO being there made any difference to her. I think it was a case of a talented local staying home and playing for one of the top programs in the country. No shame in that at all.

Baylor reloads, UCONN will still be fine and continue to have elite teams.

 

[Gus Mahler]

So this year,

Nataija Marshall (6'6")- Notre Dame
Cameron Brink (6'4")- Stanford
Hannah Gusters (6'4") Baylor
Angela Dugalic (6'4") Oregon

Last year:
Aliyah Boston (6'4") South Carolina
Ashten Prechtel (6'5") Stanford
Maori Davenport (6'4") Rutgers
Laeticia Amihere (6'3") South Carolina
Kennedy Brown (6'6") Oregon State
River Baldwin (6'5") Florida State

The year before that:

Charli Collier (6'5") Texas
Shakira Austin (6'5") Maryland
Sedona Prince (6'7") Baylor
Andrea Aquino (6'9") Oregon State
Olivia Owens (6'4") Maryland

So we got ONO. But that is a whole heckuva lot of talented bigs who couldn't be bothered to attend the premier WCBB program in the country. WOW!

That's a lot of "No's". And a whole lot of "yes's" to our biggest competitors.

Perhaps Coach Geno needs to boost his assistant coaching staff who have big responsibility for recruiting. Perhaps the loss of Marisa Moseley is hurting more than was expected. Whatever the cause, that is a huge number of top post players who have said no to UConn, and continue to say no to UConn.

We can continue to view everything through rose-colored glasses, but someone who is being realistic has to admit that we have a problem recruiting posts. Yes, we got Tina Charles and Rebecca Lobo. But that was years ago. And look at the bigs on the bench right now of Oregon State, Oregon, Baylor, Maryland, and others. Yet we're going into the new season with one player who can possibly be considered front court.

Something's not working here. A stable full of guards will not get us to a national championship, no matter how the people here want to deny reality.

Friendly edit: I think Prince went to Texas.

 

[Tonyc]

Youve got to be kidding me with some of these posts. Girls over 6'4 sitting the bench. Girls 6'9 sitting the bench. Theyre sitting the bench for a reason. If there sitting the bench and not playing why do you think that is??????? We dont need bigs sitting the bench we need bigs that can play and guess what only Gusters was good enough for UConn to recruit because Geno thinks she can play big time BB. ONO is very good and will get better. Reports Ive heard over the past few months is she has gotten really good and still needs some work to get better. Girls from Texas usually stay in Texas. Its tuff to get girls from Texas and everybody knows it. I have no inside info but I have to wonder if we get a big from overseas in the next year or 2. With our new commitments from Croacia and Poland we just may find somebody who wants to play for UConn yes play not a big who will sit the bench. If theyre sitting the bench they do us no good. Some of the bigs mentioned in the threads above need alot of work...alot of work. Some have gone to other teams some are still being recruited. They are projects that may take a couple of years to get to the point where they see a few minutes in blowouts and some may be bench players for 4 years. The point is some of you are questioning Geno's ability to get bigs and when you look around and see some bigs sitting the bench I gotta ask what does it prove. What would you think if we had 6'9,6'9, 6'6,6'4, sitting the bench????? Maybe giving them a few minutes at the end of a game. Let Geno do his job. He gets paid over 2 million a year and there's a reason he gets paid that kind of money and you and I dont. We have 3 more years with ONO and I would think that Geno will get a big or two that can play over the next 3 years. It most likely wont be a Texan but we will see.

 

[JonathanXIV]

Maybe we should start to offer all of them, we haven't been getting any posts if you have noticed. Maybe some thing should change.

Yes, I’m tired of all these national championships and final four appearances.

 

[oldude]

Youve got to be kidding me with some of these posts. Girls over 6'4 sitting the bench. Girls 6'9 sitting the bench. Theyre sitting the bench for a reason. If there sitting the bench and not playing why do you think that is??????? We dont need bigs sitting the bench we need bigs that can play and guess what only Gusters was good enough for UConn to recruit because Geno thinks she can play big time BB. ONO is very good and will get better. Reports Ive heard over the past few months is she has gotten really good and still needs some work to get better. Girls from Texas usually stay in Texas. Its tuff to get girls from Texas and everybody knows it. I have no inside info but I have to wonder if we get a big from overseas in the next year or 2. With our new commitments from Croacia and Poland we just may find somebody who wants to play for UConn yes play not a big who will sit the bench. If theyre sitting the bench they do us no good. Some of the bigs mentioned in the threads above need alot of work...alot of work. Some have gone to other teams some are still being recruited. They are projects that may take a couple of years to get to the point where they see a few minutes in blowouts and some may be bench players for 4 years. The point is some of you are questioning Geno's ability to get bigs and when you look around and see some bigs sitting the bench I gotta ask what does it prove. What would you think if we had 6'9,6'9, 6'6,6'4, sitting the bench????? Maybe giving them a few minutes at the end of a game. Let Geno do his job. He gets paid over 2 million a year and there's a reason he gets paid that kind of money and you and I dont. We have 3 more years with ONO and I would think that Geno will get a big or two that can play over the next 3 years. It most likely wont be a Texan but we will see.

Well stated. One additional point. While Gusters would certainly have been a welcome addition for UConn, there is a lot of developmental work that needs to happen before she can contribute at the college level. Even after missing her entire junior year of HS with an injury, Liv was a significantly better prospect with tremendous athleticism.