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Message: [QUOTE="oldhusky, post: 4801475, member: 9844"] I think we need to go with Ice to start, having no idea if she is ready or not. Unfortunately we do not have a true big that looks like a very good rebounder or shot blocker for that matter. AE is ok there but not terrific by any means. Her main assets are very efficient inside scoring, pretty good interior position defender, and mobile enough to guard well away from the basket. Amari has played enough minutes over three years that her rebounding numbers mean something, and the results are terrible. A 6-6 player who rebounds like an average SF. Some have more hope that she will improve, but improvement in rebounding rarely happens, it is usually related to better decision making, fewer turnovers, less fouls, better shot selection etc. In Ice's case I think she can be a good position defender and can box out for rebounds, but I don't think rebounding or shot blocking is her best trait either. Her value, so far not showing, is her versatile offensive skills, with the potential to score inside, outside and pass effectively. Ayanna came here with expectations of being very good at rebounding and shot blocking due to her obvious athletic ability and hops. She wasn't bad, but also nowhere close to expectations her freshmen year, but perhaps that was due to injury. This year her return seems to be lagging initial timelines which raises the question when and if we will ever see the rebounder/shot blocker we expected when she was recruited. Right now the only proven bigs, and one isn't even big, is AE and Aubrey. AE is a natural 4 and Aubrey a 3/4, but AE will have to play a lot at the 5 where she is far less effective than at the 4. We have to use Ice some now if she is any good or not. Despite her poor performance thus far, she is clearly ahead of Amari and Ayanna is not available. To the extent Ice can warrant more playing time it allows AE to at least play more at her natural position. When Ayanna returns she could break into the rotation, but she too is a more natural 4. She could take some of Ice's minutes, but if she does it still means probably playing AE at the 5. Heading into the season I considered both Jana and Ice to be by far the most important freshmen for this season. I thought KK might find a role but with Nika and Paige returning it wasn't a pressing need, and Ashlynn and Q figured to have learning years behind Azzi and Caroline and others. Both Jana and Ice were exceptionally important because Dorka was gone and we had nobody proven at the 5 returning. With two prospects, as long as one of them came thru early we were ok,, but now it is Ice or nobody. Hopefully she is an asset not a liability very soon, but regardless one thing missing from this roster is a real rebounding and shot blocking stud. Aubrey overachieves for her height, but our ceiling in those areas is significantly lower than at least many Uconn teams have been in the past. We have to try to make up for it in other ways. [/QUOTE]

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