How important is Morgan Tuck?

[SallyH]

In the third quarter, up by 20 points, MT goes out and Notre Dame goes on an 8 point run to trim the lead to 12. She missed a few but generally she either scores or gets fouled (near the basket).

Do we really think that she will go pro after this year? That scares me.

 

[GG]

In the third quarter, up by 20 points, MT goes out and Notre Dame goes on an 8 point run to trim the lead to 12. She missed a few but generally she either scores or gets fouled (near the basket).

Do we really think that she will go pro after this year? That scares me.

Morgan is one of the key pieces to this team. We are going to take a big hit without stewie and mo next year. If Morgan leaves as well, it will be a huge hit.

 

[HoopsFan21]

I put the odds of her leaving at 50-50. Maybe a slight lean towards going pro based on the fact that more of her comments have been about leaving this year vs. staying. Would really really love to have her back though. As Doris said on the broadcast, she can play the 3, 4, and 5 positions. She can play down low, but can also step out and shoot 3s. As KML said in the Geno Project last year, she's the most composed player and plays like she has been playing basketball for 30 years. That's one of those intangibles that you can't just plug and play.

 

[GG]

I put the odds of her leaving at 50-50. Maybe a slight lean towards going pro based on the fact that more of her comments have been about leaving this year vs. staying. Would really really love to have her back though. As Doris said on the broadcast, she can play the 3, 4, and 5 positions. She can play down low, but can also step out and shoot 3s. As KML said in the Geno Project last year, she's the most composed player and plays like she has been playing basketball for 30 years. That's one of those intangibles that you can't just plug and play.

When did Morgan make public comments about leaving this year?

 

[HoopsFan21]

When did Morgan make public comments about leaving this year?

Over the past year plus. If you get Connecticut news stations, they often get interviews that don't get picked up anywhere else. I've heard her say that she would prefer to graduate with her class. That was at least a year ago though. She also said at the beginning of this year that she's considering it which surprised me because at the end of last season she was all about the "free school," so I thought it was all but a done deal that she would be back. Guess not. Based on her comments over the past 18 months, it's a coin flip at this point, and she has probably not made up her mind one way or the other. If she gets that extra year of Geno's tutelage, she will be a machine by the time she goes pro. Hopefully she values the development she's receiving from the top notch coaching staff at UConn + a master's degree more than the $40k they get paid as a pro rookie.

 

[Tenspro2002]

She's gone. Wants to graduate with her friends (Stewie and Moriah), won't have a lot more to prove at the college level, and her knee is a ticking time bomb.

 

[GG]

She's gone. Wants to graduate with her friends (Stewie and Moriah), won't have a lot more to prove at the college level, and her knee is a ticking time bomb.

If her knee is a ticking time bomb, that is more of a reason to stay and get a masters.

 

[HoopsFan21]

She's gone. Wants to graduate with her friends (Stewie and Moriah)

And her sorority pledge class. Sometimes we forget that at the end of the day they are just college kids like we all once were.

 

[HoopsFan21]

If her knee is a ticking time bomb, that is more of a reason to stay and get a masters.

Yeah that's one reason I really thought she valued the free school that she more than anyone else understood what would happen if she couldn't play basketball as a job.

 

[Hongster]

I would and will not complain if she decide to go pro. After all, what's good if all your closed friends graduate and you stay, who is going to keep them company?

 

[rvwsleep]

She's gone. Wants to graduate with her friends (Stewie and Moriah), won't have a lot more to prove at the college level, and her knee is a ticking time bomb.

Read much ?

“At this point, I’m planning on staying no matter what happens,” she toldSNY.com's Carl Adamec. “In my fifth year I can get a Masters Degree and getting another degree can’t hurt you ever. I’d rather get it right after undergraduate instead of going back to school later to get it. I don’t think anything that happens next year will sway me either way because I’m bonded to the program and I love being here.”

 

[msf22b]

Read much ?

“At this point, I’m planning on staying no matter what happens,” she toldSNY.com's Carl Adamec. “In my fifth year I can get a Masters Degree and getting another degree can’t hurt you ever. I’d rather get it right after undergraduate instead of going back to school later to get it. I don’t think anything that happens next year will sway me either way because I’m bonded to the program and I love being here.”

Thank you for introducing Morgan's only definitive statement on the issue.
When I heard Doris today, I didn't know what she was talking about.
Obviously there has been some wavering from that position
Unless Doris is making up her comment from whole cloth.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Read much ?

“At this point, I’m planning on staying no matter what happens,” she toldSNY.com's Carl Adamec. “In my fifth year I can get a Masters Degree and getting another degree can’t hurt you ever. I’d rather get it right after undergraduate instead of going back to school later to get it. I don’t think anything that happens next year will sway me either way because I’m bonded to the program and I love being here.”

Except she has made other public statements that contradict that. So who knows, and she even probably doesn't.

 

[alexrgct]

Read much ?

“At this point, I’m planning on staying no matter what happens,” she toldSNY.com's Carl Adamec. “In my fifth year I can get a Masters Degree and getting another degree can’t hurt you ever. I’d rather get it right after undergraduate instead of going back to school later to get it. I don’t think anything that happens next year will sway me either way because I’m bonded to the program and I love being here.”

It surprises me that fewer folks have read this. Morgan is going nowhere as a senior and will have her name unveiled on the wall as of senior day/night 2017.

The recruiting class of 2012: so good it wasn't even fair. Morgan's power and poise included.

 

[rvwsleep]

Except she has made other public statements that contradict that. So who knows, and she even probably doesn't.

I would be interested in reading those "public statements". Do you have them ?

 

[Zorro]

"Wanting to graduate with her class" has absolutely nothing to do with it. She can do that and still return for her fourth year of basketball and get her masters, or at least a major portion of it.

 

[Aluminny69]

Morgan could set a record that will never be broken - FIVE National Championships! How can she resist?

 

[Gus Mahler]

That rascal Morgan had to preface her statement with "At this point." Wonder if she did that on purpose to keep us guessing?

 

[HoopsFan21]

"Wanting to graduate with her class" has absolutely nothing to do with it. She can do that and still return for her fourth year of basketball and get her masters, or at least a major portion of it.

Who knows. Maybe she's playing us. One day she wants to graduate with her class. The next day she wants free school. Then she wants to go out with her [sorority] pledge class. Then she wants her master's. Then she's considering all of her options. No one knows. Not even her. The only thing that's known is that her decision could go either way.

 

[HGN]

I am hoping and praying she stays........All statements I have heard has been her saying she is staying for a 5th year.

 

[uconnfan68]

When did Morgan make public comments about leaving this year?

She didn't, but I'm sure ESPN wants her to leave so ND can win. That 7 of 8 is getting pretty old.

 

[j66kicker]

Morgan could set a record that will never be broken - FIVE National Championships! How can she resist?

I know everyone says she could get 5 rings. I agree, assuming she has a ring for her redshirt year. But IMO she has the ring, not a "championship" for a year she was officially not eligible.

 

[HoopsFan21]

She didn't, but I'm sure ESPN wants her to leave so ND can win. That 7 of 8 is getting pretty old.

As I said above, if you get Connecticut news channels, you will find some really nice interviews being done at the back end of the newscasts that aren't being picked up by anyone and aren't going to be "google-able." Tuck has made several comments over the past year to local stations that made it on air to all 3.5M of us that live in CT. I try to watch NBC Connecticut after games since they seem to have the best interviews that you won't see anywhere else. I guess that's one way these local stations can stay relevant with exclusive content.

 

[Gus Mahler]

The five rings thing is fun to think/talk about, and if she gets it, fantastic! But I think that would be about the worst possible reason to come back for a fifth year.

Tenspro and GG have illustrated the conundrum she faces, the two sides to the knee problem. Given the bad knee, do you go for insurance and come back for a fifth year and work on a master's? Or do you look at as though you have to make your money while you can, so you go pro. Some would say it's a risk to come back and maybe suffer another debilitating injury, so go pro. On the other hand, if she passed on the free schooling, went pro and got hurt right away, she could possibly lose both.

Doris mentioned that Morgan and Geno had had some frank discussions. I hope he can advise well on what her chances of success are. Most of what we think of as her strengths are on the offensive end, and mostly under the basket. She is probably going to be much less effective down low at the pro level. Yes, she has a long range shot in her arsenal, and she's a good passer. Her rebounding seems only so-so, as well as her defense.

So I don't know. Of course I hope she will come back, but if she goes I sure hope it works out.

 

[HoopsFan21]

The five rings thing is fun to think/talk about, and if she gets it, fantastic! But I think that would be about the worst possible reason to come back for a fifth year.

Tenspro and GG have illustrated the conundrum she faces, the two sides to the knee problem. Given the bad knee, do you go for insurance and come back for a fifth year and work on a master's? Or do you look at as though you have to make your money while you can, so you go pro. Some would say it's a risk to come back and maybe suffer another debilitating injury, so go pro. On the other hand, if she passed on the free schooling, went pro and got hurt right away, she could possibly lose both.

Doris mentioned that Morgan and Geno had had some frank discussions. I hope he can advise well on what her chances of success are. Most of what we think of as her strengths are on the offensive end, and mostly under the basket. She is probably going to be much less effective down low at the pro level. Yes, she has a long range shot in her arsenal, and she's a good passer. Her rebounding seems only so-so, as well as her defense.

So I don't know. Of course I hope she will come back, but if she goes I sure hope it works out.

If it were me, I'd get the master's (full disclosure I like Tuck and what she brings to the table and want her stay forever!). Hopefully in something relevant. Basketball is always going to have a limit in the number of years you can play. Having that extra education will pay dividends for many years beyond one's playing days.