How Much Better

[Tonyc]

I keep reading posts about UConn not being as good this season as in the past few seasons. What team is? Dont compare UConn or any team to last seasons UConn team . This season we should compare UConn and their players to the top opponents. How much better is Butler then ? Nurse then? Katie Lou then? Gabby then? Collier then? Chong then? Dangerfield then? etc. How much better is UConns defense then Baylor S Carolina, Ohio St Texas ND etc. How much better is team chemistry, coaching continuity etc. What teams confidence can be broken and what teams confidence cant be broken. This is really big. If you have a go to player that you can count on in big moments that really helps team confidence.

Alot of teams lost alot of top talent from last season. How will those teams compete? Uconn begins the first half of the season playing Baylor Ohio State Depaul and Texas in CT and ND Dayton K State and MD on the road along with South Carolina at home in February. SC will be a big game in that it will test and show us where this young UConn team and how ready they are for the NCAAs. All these games will expose weaknesses and things that need to be worked on.

It always comes down to confidence, defense and team chemistry. Katie Lou was number 1 in her class, Collier was top 10, Nurse is an Olympian, Butler top freshman in the Big East and she is healthy this season. Not a bad lineup for any team. Dangerfield is coming in as the number 2 player out of HS.

Hey alot of teams think they can beat UConn this season. This is a FF team with alot of talent. Geno always seems to find a way to mesh his teams. This season a couple of things to look out for. Butler needs to be on the floor with her height and stay out of foul trouble. Last season opponents keyed on our Big 3 leaving Nurse, Katie Lou and others open. This season Nurse and Katie Lou will draw alot of attention leaving everybody else to pick up the slack. We have team speed, competitive height and very good rebounding. IMO I see UConn scoring alot of points underneath and spending alot of time at the foul line.

Bottom line for me is we will wait and see how this team develops. The nucleus weve had in past years isnt there this season but we are loaded with talent. We will know more after the Baylor game.

 

[HoopsFan21]

I think Gabby is going to have a big year.

 

[EricLA]

Appreciate the enthusiasm as always! Having said that...

UCONN lost arguably their best player in the history of the college game and the best PG UCONN has ever had and a great glue player, who according to Geno, wasn't "great" at anything, but was really really good at everything. It's simply impossible to replace that. If you look at the top players that some of the already best teams lost, it looks like this:

SC - Mitchell
Texas - Boyette
Maryland - Moseley
OSU - Alston
Baylor - Johnson
ND - nobody

UCONN - Tuck, Jefferson, Stewart

Now look at where the top teams ended last season ranked:

1 - UCONN
4 - Baylor
5 - SC
6 - ND
7 - Texas
9 - Maryland
10- OSU
14 - L'ville

Then look at the top 15 kids brought in by these already highly ranked programs:

UCONN - Dangerfield
Baylor - Cox, Chou
Texas - Holmes, Sutton
ND - Boley, Young
Maryland - Slocum
OSU - McCoy
L'ville - Johnson
SC - nobody

Also, Maryland (2), L'ville OSU and Baylor all added additional kids in the top 25.

So what's my point? Look at what UCONN lost. Arguably the best class in the history of WCBB. I don't care how great Geno is, making it to the final 4 this season will be a tremendous accomplishment. Is our cupboard bare? Of course not, but we have a LOT of question marks...

1. Who plays PG and how effective will they be?
2. Now that Butler's hand is 100% healed, how good can she be?
3. UCONN has a serious lack of size - how do they compensate?
4. Will Chong have the confidence and ability to be a really good contributor, or will she come off the bench and be "meh"?
5. Just what kind of sophomore leap can we expect from KLS and Collier?
6. How much will Gabby have improved her game (including possibly expanding her shot to the 3 point line)?

The talent gap between UCONN and the other top teams has completely disappeared. IMHO, there are at least 6 teams with a legit shot to win it all this year - UCONN, Baylor, SC, Texas, ND and Maryland. Then of course there are a bunch of other teams right on the cusp (OSU, Syracuse, L'ville, etc). I have no doubt that this team is tough and that Geno will help prepare them for the post season to be the very best they possibly can be. But there is so much talent out there - UCONN fans need to be prepared for losses (yes losses - more than 1) this season and for the possibility that the final 4 may be the max upside this team can achieve, and even that may be out of our reach this season...

 

[jdubct]

Appreciate the enthusiasm as always! Having said that...

UCONN lost arguably their best player in the history of the college game and the best PG UCONN has ever had and a great glue player, who according to Geno, wasn't "great" at anything, but was really really good at everything. It's simply impossible to replace that. If you look at the top players that some of the already best teams lost, it looks like this:

SC - Mitchell
Texas - Boyette
Maryland - Moseley
OSU - Alston
Baylor - Johnson
ND - nobody

UCONN - Tuck, Jefferson, Stewart

Now look at where the top teams ended last season ranked:

1 - UCONN
4 - Baylor
5 - SC
6 - ND
7 - Texas
9 - Maryland
10- OSU
14 - L'ville

Then look at the top 15 kids brought in by these already highly ranked programs:

UCONN - Dangerfield
Baylor - Cox, Chou
Texas - Holmes, Sutton
ND - Boley, Young
Maryland - Slocum
OSU - McCoy
L'ville - Johnson
SC - nobody

Also, Maryland (2), L'ville OSU and Baylor all added additional kids in the top 25.

So what's my point? Look at what UCONN lost. Arguably the best class in the history of WCBB. I don't care how great Geno is, making it to the final 4 this season will be a tremendous accomplishment. Is our cupboard bare? Of course not, but we have a LOT of question marks...

1. Who plays PG and how effective will they be?
2. Now that Butler's hand is 100% healed, how good can she be?
3. UCONN has a serious lack of size - how do they compensate?
4. Will Chong have the confidence and ability to be a really good contributor, or will she come off the bench and be "meh"?

The talent gap between UCONN and the other top teams has completely disappeared. IMHO, there are at least 6 teams with a legit shot to win it all this year - UCONN, Baylor, SC, Texas, ND and Maryland. Then of course there are a bunch of other teams right on the cusp (OSU, Syracuse, L'ville, etc). I have no doubt that this team is tough and that Geno will help prepare them for the post season to be the very best they possibly can be. But there is so much talent out there - UCONN fans need to be prepared for losses (yes losses - more than 1) this season and for the possibility that the final 4 may be the max upside this team can achieve, and even that may be out of our reach this season...

Excellent and realistic assessment of Uconn's uncertainties entering the season, and possibility of a challenging season for Uconn.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

My biggest wish every season for UCONN WBB is that they stay healthy all season and then let the chips fall where they may!
IMHO I think the next important key to the season is, can UCONN play their usually tough & tight defense with everyone going all out right out of the gate? As mentioned above there are many tough teams at the beginning of the season and if our girls play their brand of defense the rest falls into place the offense feeds off the defense!
With the potential for an 80+ point a game offense if our usual defense is holding teams to 45 to 55 points a game we'll be very tough to beat no matter who they're playing!
If the defense takes to Jan. 15st to kick in we'll see some loses early!
By the end of the season the defense will take us far into the NCAA Tournament!

 

[BroadwayVa]

I keep reading posts about UConn not being as good this season as in the past few seasons. What team is? Dont compare UConn or any team to last seasons UConn team . This season we should compare UConn and their players to the top opponents. How much better is Butler then ? Nurse then? Katie Lou then? Gabby then? Collier then? Chong then? Dangerfield then? etc. How much better is UConns defense then Baylor S Carolina, Ohio St Texas ND etc. How much better is team chemistry, coaching continuity etc. What teams confidence can be broken and what teams confidence cant be broken. This is really big. If you have a go to player that you can count on in big moments that really helps team confidence.

Alot of teams lost alot of top talent from last season. How will those teams compete? Uconn begins the first half of the season playing Baylor Ohio State Depaul and Texas in CT and ND Dayton K State and MD on the road along with South Carolina at home in February. SC will be a big game in that it will test and show us where this young UConn team and how ready they are for the NCAAs. All these games will expose weaknesses and things that need to be worked on.

It always comes down to confidence, defense and team chemistry. Katie Lou was number 1 in her class, Collier was top 10, Nurse is an Olympian, Butler top freshman in the Big East and she is healthy this season. Not a bad lineup for any team. Dangerfield is coming in as the number 2 player out of HS.

Hey alot of teams think they can beat UConn this season. This is a FF team with alot of talent. Geno always seems to find a way to mesh his teams. This season a couple of things to look out for. Butler needs to be on the floor with her height and stay out of foul trouble. Last season opponents keyed on our Big 3 leaving Nurse, Katie Lou and others open. This season Nurse and Katie Lou will draw alot of attention leaving everybody else to pick up the slack. We have team speed, competitive height and very good rebounding. IMO I see UConn scoring alot of points underneath and spending alot of time at the foul line.


Bottom line for me is we will wait and see how this team develops. The nucleus weve had in past years isnt there this season but we are loaded with talent. We will know more after the Baylor game.

Good Questions asked, and good belief in the UC lineup. While the HIGHLIGHED sentence was true at times--often Katie Lou WAS the target of defense. I believe she proved she can score against multiple defenses. If the REAL Kia shows up she can make life interesting and she CAN score. Collier WILL be a major factor as will Gabby. Butler can be great.

I have posted OFTEN here that Uconn will (I believe) play in the final 4. Geno set up his schedule to play the top teams--this is how he shall evaluated and make changes EARLY in the season--smart move. So let us UConn Fans not get anxiety attack when / IF Uconn loses a few early games--that's Geno's adjustment period. The talent is there--the very best coaching team is there and UC has some of the best Freshmen in the country--BRING EM ON!!

 

[Carnac]

I keep reading posts about UConn not being as good this season as in the past few seasons. What team is? Don't compare UConn or any team to last seasons UConn team . This season we should compare UConn and their players to the top opponents. How much better is Butler then ? Nurse then? Katie Lou then? Gabby then? Collier then? Chong then? Dangerfield then? etc. How much better is UConn's defense then Baylor S Carolina, Ohio St Texas ND etc. How much better is team chemistry, coaching continuity etc. What teams confidence can be broken and what teams confidence cant be broken. This is really big. If you have a go to player that you can count on in big moments that really helps team confidence.

A lot of teams lost a lot of top talent from last season. How will those teams compete? UConn begins the first half of the season playing Baylor Ohio State De Paul and Texas in CT and ND Dayton K State and MD on the road along with South Carolina at home in February. SC will be a big game in that it will test and show us where this young UConn team and how ready they are for the NCAAs. All these games will expose weaknesses and things that need to be worked on.

It always comes down to confidence, defense and team chemistry. Katie Lou was number 1 in her class, Collier was top 10, Nurse is an Olympian, Butler top freshman in the Big East and she is healthy this season. Not a bad lineup for any team. Dangerfield is coming in as the number 2 player out of HS.

Hey alot of teams think they can beat UConn this season. This is a FF team with a lot of talent. Geno always seems to find a way to mesh his teams. This season a couple of things to look out for. Butler needs to be on the floor with her height and stay out of foul trouble. Last season opponents keyed on our Big 3 leaving Nurse, Katie Lou and others open. This season Nurse and Katie Lou will draw a lot of attention leaving everybody else to pick up the slack. We have team speed, competitive height and very good rebounding. IMO I see UConn scoring a lot of points underneath and spending a lot of time at the foul line.

Bottom line for me is we will wait and see how this team develops. The nucleus we've had in past years isn't there this season but we are loaded with talent. We will know more after the Baylor game.

Tonyc, great minds think alike. I've been thinking (and commenting on) the same thing you just spoke of. For all the reasons you mentioned, I believe UConn will once again be one of the top teams in the country, and a good bet to be a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament. To borrow a line from former Dodger manager Tommie Lasorda: "You can't win a pennant in April, but you can sure lose one".

This same axiom can be said for women's college basketball. The national championship is not going to be won in November or December. It will be won in April, like it is every year. If UConn loses a game or two early in the season, it's not a death sentence. Some people forget, UConn always plays it's best basketball in March and April.

The Baylor game will tell us a lot about this year's team, just like the Stanford game did in 2014. Win or lose, adjustments will no doubt be made. As always, the hardest part of UConn's schedule is front loaded. I like to wait until after the 5th non-exhibition game (Chattanooga) has been played before I try and assess a team's fortunes. Four games are circled on UConn's calendar: Baylor, Notre Dame, Ohio State and South Carolina. This year's BIG 4. Those are bench mark games. These teams represent the quality of competition UConn will face the last 3 games of the tournament.

Geno is smart to play the Gamecocks in February. He plays 3 top 5 programs in early in the season, makes adjustments, then plays another top 5 team to see exactly where they are (a final exam), and what needs to be "tweaked" before tournament play begins. It's a formula that has worked well in the recent past. This year's team is going to surpass a lot of people's expectations.

Players that had to play a supporting role the last couple of years, will now get to step up into a leading role. They'll get to showcase their skills and talent, that to this point, we've only seen bits and pieces of.
Don't expect UConn to fade late in the season.

Geno does his best coaching in the early spring. They'll be right in the thick of things when the tournament begins. If UConn wins the championship again this year, I think they should seriously consider re-naming the championship trophy: "The Auriemma trophy". Because if he takes this team all the way, his greatness can never again be questioned.

Bill Belichick is thought to be a great coach. Not because of his players, but because of his team's success over the years. Players come and go. HE is the constant. It's not the players, it's the system. It's the same with Geno and UConn. It takes team work to make the dream work. Go Huskies.

 

[CocoHusky]

My biggest wish every season for UCONN WBB is that they stay healthy all season and then let the chips fall where they may!
IMHO I think the next important key to the season is, can UCONN play their usually tough & tight defense with everyone going all out right out of the gate? As mentioned above there are many tough teams at the beginning of the season and if our girls play their brand of defense the rest falls into place the offense feeds off the defense!
With the potential for an 80+ point a game offense if our usual defense is holding teams to 45 to 55 points a game we'll be very tough to beat no matter who they're playing!
If the defense takes to Jan. 15st to kick in we'll see some loses early!
By the end of the season the defense will take us far into the NCAA Tournament!

Well said @Tonyc . 'Nuff Said. Geno has as many thoroughbred horses as anyone this year. Geno & staff never under achieves with thoroughbreds.

 

[BobbyJ]

My biggest wish every season for UCONN WBB is that they stay healthy all season and then let the chips fall where they may!
IMHO I think the next important key to the season is, can UCONN play their usually tough & tight defense with everyone going all out right out of the gate? As mentioned above there are many tough teams at the beginning of the season and if our girls play their brand of defense the rest falls into place the offense feeds off the defense!
With the potential for an 80+ point a game offense if our usual defense is holding teams to 45 to 55 points a game we'll be very tough to beat no matter who they're playing!
If the defense takes to Jan. 15st to kick in we'll see some loses early!
By the end of the season the defense will take us far into the NCAA Tournament!

I just don't see this defense holding good teams to 45-55 points. Conference games maybe but their weakness will be their interior defense. If other teams can get the ball into the paint consistently it'll be like a wolf in the chicken coop. Their only potential shot blocker is laterally slow to react and will be very foul prone. Auriemma will have to coach the hell out of that defense.

 

[EricLA]

Just a post script to my post - the list of players that each team "lost" was based on the WNBA draft - the 3 rounds. Players like Maybrey and Cable both graduated from ND, and at least 1 was a consistent starter, but neither were drafted in the 1st 3 rounds. Even tho they were starters, I would think it would be easier to replace them than, say, Mitchell from SC or Moseley from Maryland...

 

[Carnac]

I just don't see this defense holding good teams to 45-55 points. Conference games maybe but their weakness will be their interior defense. If other teams can get the ball into the paint consistently it'll be like a wolf in the chicken coop. Their only potential shot blocker is laterally slow to react and will be very foul prone. Auriemma will have to coach the hell out of that defense.

We don't know anything for sure yet. They've got to play a few games before anyone can make those assumptions. BUT.........if as you say, that person is still slow afoot and foul prone, then Geno will make adjustments, just like he did after the Stanford game in 2014.

 

[donalddoowop]

If any of you saw Gabby's mix tape you'd see she has a very good handle and a three point shot. If she is allowed to play outside I believe she will regain both. Now the bad news. For all of you who are expecting great things from this team this is what is going happen: UCONN will not only NOT qualify for the NCAA Tournament, they won't qualify for the WNIT either. They will lose at least ten games and be eliminated in the first round of the AAC Tournament. How about that for all you prognosticators! By the way BobbyJ, Collier is a very good shot blocker.

 

[Carnac]

If any of you saw Gabby's mix tape you'd see she has a very good handle and a three point shot. If she is allowed to play outside I believe she will regain both. Now the bad news. For all of you who are expecting great things from this team this is what is going happen: UCONN will not only NOT qualify for the NCAA Tournament, they won't qualify for the WNIT either. They will lose at least ten games and be eliminated in the first round of the AAC Tournament. How about that for all you prognosticators! By the way BobbyJ, Collier is a very good shot blocker.

- Then the alarm went off, and donalddoowop woke up from this dream.

 

[donalddoowop]

- Then the alarm went off, and donalddoowop woke up from this dream.

That would have been a nightmare!

 

[Glenn]

I looked at what some of the key teams have returning this year. I was surprised how much SC lost (but they also get two transfers: Kaela Davis and Allisha Grey), and surprised how much Baylor is bringing back. UConn will be hard pressed to beat Baylor and ND early in the season when our players will be still figuring out each payers roles this year.

minutes points rebounds
UConn 54% 49% 54% (lost Stewart, Jefferson, Tuck and Ekmark)
ND 67% 71% 71% (Cable, Mabrey, Huffman)
Baylor 77% 87% 78% (Niya Johnson, Higgins, Fuqua)
Texas 61% 67% 59% (Boyette, Davenport, Rodrigo, Sanders)
SC 41% 49% 55% (Mitchell, Sessions, Roy, Imovbich, Dozier, Jatari White)

 

[BobbyJ]

If any of you saw Gabby's mix tape you'd see she has a very good handle and a three point shot. If she is allowed to play outside I believe she will regain both. Now the bad news. For all of you who are expecting great things from this team this is what is going happen: UCONN will not only NOT qualify for the NCAA Tournament, they won't qualify for the WNIT either. They will lose at least ten games and be eliminated in the first round of the AAC Tournament. How about that for all you prognosticators! By the way BobbyJ, Collier is a very good shot blocker.

She's a good shot blocker on players her size and shorter. She won't be blocking on big posts without fouling.

 

[Plebe]

Appreciate the enthusiasm as always! Having said that...

UCONN lost arguably their best player in the history of the college game and the best PG UCONN has ever had and a great glue player, who according to Geno, wasn't "great" at anything, but was really really good at everything. It's simply impossible to replace that. If you look at the top players that some of the already best teams lost, it looks like this:

SC - Mitchell
Texas - Boyette
Maryland - Moseley
OSU - Alston
Baylor - Johnson
ND - nobody

UCONN - Tuck, Jefferson, Stewart

Now look at where the top teams ended last season ranked:

1 - UCONN
4 - Baylor
5 - SC
6 - ND
7 - Texas
9 - Maryland
10- OSU
14 - L'ville

Then look at the top 15 kids brought in by these already highly ranked programs:

UCONN - Dangerfield
Baylor - Cox, Chou
Texas - Holmes, Sutton
ND - Boley, Young
Maryland - Slocum
OSU - McCoy
L'ville - Johnson
SC - nobody

Also, Maryland (2), L'ville OSU and Baylor all added additional kids in the top 25.

So what's my point? Look at what UCONN lost. Arguably the best class in the history of WCBB. I don't care how great Geno is, making it to the final 4 this season will be a tremendous accomplishment. Is our cupboard bare? Of course not, but we have a LOT of question marks...

1. Who plays PG and how effective will they be?
2. Now that Butler's hand is 100% healed, how good can she be?
3. UCONN has a serious lack of size - how do they compensate?
4. Will Chong have the confidence and ability to be a really good contributor, or will she come off the bench and be "meh"?
5. Just what kind of sophomore leap can we expect from KLS and Collier?
6. How much will Gabby have improved her game (including possibly expanding her shot to the 3 point line)?

The talent gap between UCONN and the other top teams has completely disappeared. IMHO, there are at least 6 teams with a legit shot to win it all this year - UCONN, Baylor, SC, Texas, ND and Maryland. Then of course there are a bunch of other teams right on the cusp (OSU, Syracuse, L'ville, etc). I have no doubt that this team is tough and that Geno will help prepare them for the post season to be the very best they possibly can be. But there is so much talent out there - UCONN fans need to be prepared for losses (yes losses - more than 1) this season and for the possibility that the final 4 may be the max upside this team can achieve, and even that may be out of our reach this season...

I very much agree with this take. I'd only have a couple minor corrections:

(a) ND did lose Madison Cable, who had a huge senior year for them and, I would argue, was their effort leader and glue. Having said that, the addition of redshirt freshman Patberg and true freshmen Young and Boley should be more than enough to compensate.

(b) I would have to add UCLA to the list of serious contenders. They played Texas down to the wire in the Sweet 16, and they only lose Fields and Swain. They'll have Canada, Billings, Korver, Burke, plus a transfer from Oklahoma ... they should be a force.

 

[Kaizen]

If any of you saw Gabby's mix tape you'd see she has a very good handle and a three point shot. If she is allowed to play outside I believe she will regain both. Now the bad news. For all of you who are expecting great things from this team this is what is going happen: UCONN will not only NOT qualify for the NCAA Tournament, they won't qualify for the WNIT either. They will lose at least ten games and be eliminated in the first round of the AAC Tournament. How about that for all you prognosticators! By the way BobbyJ, Collier is a very good shot blocker.

This is UConn women basketball board, not the women wrestling board ....wrong place LOL

 

[donalddoowop]

This is UConn women basketball board, not the women wrestling board ....wrong place LOL

What does that mean?

 

[southbendcane]

Just a post script to my post - the list of players that each team "lost" was based on the WNBA draft - the 3 rounds. Players like Maybrey and Cable both graduated from ND, and at least 1 was a consistent starter, but neither were drafted in the 1st 3 rounds. Even tho they were starters, I would think it would be easier to replace them than, say, Mitchell from SC or Moseley from Maryland...

Cable was the glue to the team and will be missed more then people realize. Mabrey was only a starter because she was a SR and Muffet has a thing for starting upper classmen. Her sister and Ogumbawale were better but she still made them come off the bench but they played just as much. Muffet might do the same with Westbeld starting over Boley even though i think Boley is better all ready.

 

[southbendcane]

I very much agree with this take. I'd only have a couple minor corrections:

(a) ND did lose Madison Cable, who had a huge senior year for them and, I would argue, was their effort leader and glue. Having said that, the addition of redshirt freshman Patberg and true freshmen Young and Boley should be more than enough to compensate.

(b) I would have to add UCLA to the list of serious contenders. They played Texas down to the wire in the Sweet 16, and they only lose Fields and Swain. They'll have Canada, Billings, Korver, Burke, plus a transfer from Oklahoma ... they should be a force.

I agree 100 %. And UCLA is my dark horse this year. Id take them over Syracuse for sure.

 

[Kaizen]

What does that mean?

Just joking....LOL

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

I just don't see this defense holding good teams to 45-55 points. Conference games maybe but their weakness will be their interior defense. If other teams can get the ball into the paint consistently it'll be like a wolf in the chicken coop. Their only potential shot blocker is laterally slow to react and will be very foul prone. Auriemma will have to coach the hell out of that defense.

BobbyJ- - - -You forget how well KLS, Collier (who was unknowingly hurt most of last season), & Gabby, added to the outstanding defense of the graduated Big 3. They more than held their own on the run to the title! With a healthy Natalie Butler bringing her formidable 6'5" athletic frame to the fray. The 3 named above improved their "D" dramatically from the beginning to the Championship game! And you named the reason I'm so sure UCONN's defense will more than carry the load, Geno Auriemma WILL COACH THE HELL OUT OF THAT DEFENSE, just as he does every year with the best Assts. in Div. I WBB! With F/C Irwin adding in as she gets the hang of what's expected of her by that great coaching staff!
And if they hold opponents to 55 to 65 points per game average instead of 45 to 55, they will still be outscoring opponents by 15 to 20 points! It'll add a little excitement to the games that some people complain about the constant slaughters, such as the man with no name with the BOSTON GLOBE!

 

[JudgeSCR]

Prior to the exhibition season and the first few games it is hard for me to see what we have this year. Too many really important unknowns. I also don't know what growth there will be over the course of the year. Our one great constant and advantage: the coaching.

Center: How does Butler play? Tentative/foul prone/a step slow? Or as a defensive rock and rebound machine? Can she stay out of foul trouble? There are some teams (ND, Baylor, SC, Texas and maybe others) that will have more talented (and plentiful) bigs. Can she hold her own? I wonder beyond Butler who can step up and cover a second big player or step in when Butler sits (I believe that this is the area that we will feel the lack of Tuck's unnoticed brilliance most).

Point guard: How does Dangerfield play? I believe that she has to emerge as a steady floor general (as few freshman point guards do). I just don't see Kia Nurse as the full-time point guard on a championship team. I know of her exploits on the Canadian Olympic team (I saw them live twice). I just don't believe she has the point guard handle or mentality. She isn't a "set up first" or "create for others" guard at this point in her career. I think she can handle the point for parts of the game/season but I think Dangerfield is the true point and Kia is a better two. I have no idea what we will get from Chong. She has yet to show she can handle the load consistently for a season.

The others: I think UConn will use the traditional 2, 3 and 4 slots interchangeably. I think KLS will break out. If healthy, I anticipate her being in the All-American discussion. I'm a big Collier fan. She does the little things: a steal, a block, an offensive rebound, setting picks, good defense and an expanding offensive game. Gabby is more of a mystery to me. A mystery that has shown flashes of "holy cow" ... without consistency. She has amazing athletic tools but is a little in and out. There were times when she was just not effective when I thought she would be. If she gains consistency and her shot continues to improve then she has the potential to move this team to another level.

The newbies: I have no idea which of them will step up and seize a role. My guess/hope for breakout star is either Camara or Irwin to step into that role of a big who can play defense and grab rebounds.

Leadership: Who will emerge as the team's leader? We lost three great ones from last year. Who leads in practice, distilling Geno and crew for the freshmen? Who sets the tone in practice, going hard every drill and pushing others to do the same? Who is the voice in the huddle during the games? I think Nurse and Gabby are the naturals for this role but can they do it? Are they focused enough? Do they play well and consistently enough? Do the others follow?

I think we will see more pressing and zones than we have in the past. The offense will not flow as it has in the past. Points will be harder. Some teams will score on us a bit more easily than in the past. I could also see teams attempting to pound us inside.

The good news? We are comparing this team to a team that sat on Mt. Olympus. This team can fail to reach those heights and still win big. My guess is that we will lose more than one game (vague enough for you?) but I just don't have a grip on this team yet to predict how many with any confidence. I think at tournament time no one will want to be in our bracket, whether we are a one or two seed.

This will be a nerve jangling season like we haven't had in years. I really look forward to it.

 

[mudcat]

Prior to the exhibition season and the first few games it is hard for me to see what we have this year. Too many really important unknowns. I also don't know what growth there will be over the course of the year. Our one great constant and advantage: the coaching.

Center: How does Butler play? Tentative/foul prone/a step slow? Or as a defensive rock and rebound machine? Can she stay out of foul trouble? There are some teams (ND, Baylor, SC, Texas and maybe others) that will have more talented (and plentiful) bigs. Can she hold her own? I wonder beyond Butler who can step up and cover a second big player or step in when Butler sits (I believe that this is the area that we will feel the lack of Tuck's unnoticed brilliance most).

Point guard: How does Dangerfield play? I believe that she has to emerge as a steady floor general (as few freshman point guards do). I just don't see Kia Nurse as the full-time point guard on a championship team. I know of her exploits on the Canadian Olympic team (I saw them live twice). I just don't believe she has the point guard handle or mentality. She isn't a "set up first" or "create for others" guard at this point in her career. I think she can handle the point for parts of the game/season but I think Dangerfield is the true point and Kia is a better two. I have no idea what we will get from Chong. She has yet to show she can handle the load consistently for a season.

The others: I think UConn will use the traditional 2, 3 and 4 slots interchangeably. I think KLS will break out. If healthy, I anticipate her being in the All-American discussion. I'm a big Collier fan. She does the little things: a steal, a block, an offensive rebound, setting picks, good defense and an expanding offensive game. Gabby is more of a mystery to me. A mystery that has shown flashes of "holy cow" ... without consistency. She has amazing athletic tools but is a little in and out. There were times when she was just not effective when I thought she would be. If she gains consistency and her shot continues to improve then she has the potential to move this team to another level.

The newbies: I have no idea which of them will step up and seize a role. My guess/hope for breakout star is either Camara or Irwin to step into that role of a big who can play defense and grab rebounds.

Leadership: Who will emerge as the team's leader? We lost three great ones from last year. Who leads in practice, distilling Geno and crew for the freshmen? Who sets the tone in practice, going hard every drill and pushing others to do the same? Who is the voice in the huddle during the games? I think Nurse and Gabby are the naturals for this role but can they do it? Are they focused enough? Do they play well and consistently enough? Do the others follow?

I think we will see more pressing and zones than we have in the past. The offense will not flow as it has in the past. Points will be harder. Some teams will score on us a bit more easily than in the past. I could also see teams attempting to pound us inside.

The good news? We are comparing this team to a team that sat on Mt. Olympus. This team can fail to reach those heights and still win big. My guess is that we will lose more than one game (vague enough for you?) but I just don't have a grip on this team yet to predict how many with any confidence. I think at tournament time no one will want to be in our bracket, whether we are a one or two seed.

This will be a nerve jangling season like we haven't had in years. I really look forward to it.

Agree with most of what you're saying. I would be surprised if Dangerfield played more of a role than Moriah did (at the end of their respective freshman seasons). Also, both Azura and Batouly are sitting out this season, so any expected help from Camara will be in 2017-18. Agree that there are many questions: depending on how the team answers, they could be anywhere from Elite 8 to championship material.