Husky Practice
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Carnac
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Put that hard work in the weight room NOW ladies. I will pay off throughout the season.
Carnac
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Whatever motivates them to work hard and be ready the next time they see South Carolina. You can bet SC will be ready for them!!I wouldn't be surprised if Geno has the 1st period of the title game playing on a loop in the weight room.
donalddoowop
Who put the Bop in the Bop Shoo Bop?
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Maybe, but SC is not their only threat. There should not be too much preoccupation with SC. It was not Boston that hurt UConn the most last season. Their little guard is no longer there. She hurt UConn the most and with their OOC schedule, UConn has a lot more to think about than SC.
This is very interesting and I agree that the field is tough. Just out of curiosity, besides South Carolina, who would you not favor the Huskies over, on a neutral site?
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Not on a neutral site, but I think Notre Dame at home may be a tough out. Still would favor U Conn.
Carnac
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Hi Don, that’s true, but you’ve got to start somewhere, so why not start at the top? The guard you’re referring to is Destanni Henderson, who graduated and moved on to the professional level with the Indiana Fever of the WNBA. She waited until the final game of her college career to have a “swan song” breakout game of 26 points. You're right. Henderson's play broke UConn's back.
They were the only team to beat UConn in March, so pardon me if I focus in on them. We'll see them at the XL Center on Sunday February 5 for a dress rehearsal to feel each other out. In my opinion, that is the biggest game on our schedule.The Gamecocks are the number one ranked team in preseason polls. Aliyah Boston is coming back for her senior year, and has indicated her team plans on repeating as national champions. Head coach Dawn Staley has echoed those sentiments as well. THEY were the team that kept us from winning number 12. If we can't beat them, no other team matters. They are still the elephant in the room. When they meet again in the tournament, Geno had better have a game plan to beat them that will work.
All of the other top 10 teams have “serious” plans/aspirations of winning the NC, not just UConn. Those plans must include a game plan to beat SC, because, barring injury, the Gamecocks are going to be there the final weekend to defend and extend their reign as national champions.
Last year, SC lost 2 games (Missouri in a preseason tournament and Kentucky in the ACC tournament final) all year. I seriously doubt they lose more than 2 games this season. We’ll see. My money is on SC and UConn making the final four this year. Once again I’m doing my Jim Fassel impersonation:
"This is a poker game. I'm raising the stakes right now. I'm shoving all my chips to the middle of the table. I'm raising the ante." UConn will make the final four. Anybody wants in, get in. Anybody wants out, get out. This team is going to the final four!!!
Don, I'm on a roll. I steadfastly predicted that UConn would bring another player (Bentancourt) right up until the day before it was announced. I also predicted the Aces in 4. I recognize there will be other teams that UConn will have to beat to punch their ticket for an invitation to that final weekend of play in Dallas Texas on March 31 and April 2. I'm not predicting who will win the NC, just that UConn will be one of the four teams invited to Dallas.
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Carnac
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Somebody is going to take advantage of the minutes freed up by Paige’s injury. Right now (it’s just a gut feeling) I think it’s Ducharme and Lou Lopez-Senechal that will step up. Other players will increase their contributions over last year, but I think these two will lead the pack.
I wonder if they could both be in at same time? This would have Azzi most likely play the point (or could either of Caroline or Lou? Would you even want them to be point?) Or, if we had a 4 guard line-up, that would be lethal shooting power from outside, but would we be strong enough inside with just one center/forward? Would Caroline be moved to more down low to help with her height in that scenario?
donalddoowop
Who put the Bop in the Bop Shoo Bop?
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I will get back to you on this.
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I'm curious as to whether Fudd and Miles would be matched up against each other. Or Fudd matched up against Citron with someone like Nika defending Miles?
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I’m with you on this speculation. By the end of the season, the minutes breakdown is very likely to show exactly this. Nika will start at the beginning of the season, with Azzi Aaliyah Caroline and Dorka, and she’ll get as many minutes as she can be productive in. But exactly how this develops may not be clear until January. I can easily picture a March rotation that starts Nika, but mainly features Lou Azzi Caroline at 1-3.
Nika on Mabry, Caroline on Citron, Azzi on Miles. It will be an interesting matchup for Azzi. If she’s recovered her foot quickness, sh should be able to play Miles close on D.
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Once again, many on this forum discount the pedigree of Patterson and Griffin, the 2 most athletic players on this team .
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Griffin coming back from her surgery I think is the question. Definitely one of the most athletic but how is she moving, will react in live game action is the unknown until things really get going. Everyone is hoping for the best, but it's hard to predict.
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With UCONN's recent history of defending quick, exceptional guards, the N.D. game will be
interesting. The difference, and the win for UCONN , will be with the forwards and BIGS. I will
not discount Maddy Westbeld (sp), but IMO that is where UCONN will win the game .... again.
Carnac
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Today, right now, I don't know. Like my buddy Donalddoowop said in an earlier post, "I will get back to you on this." Nobody knows who is going to step up an really separate themselves in practice or the first 2-3 games. Anything is possible. I believe Geno will start the 5 players that TOGETHER comprise the best unit that gives his team "the best chance" to win. Not the 5 best players on the team.
If it's broke, don't fix it. I don't look for Geno to make changes in his starting lineup except for an injury. The first two players off the bench (whoever they are) will be more than capable of starting if needed. This team is so deep that I can clearly see Geno going 8-9 deep during the pre and regular season. I think he cuts it back to 7 (as he usually does) for the NCAA Tournament. I wonder who will be the last two players at the bottom of the depth chart after the first 5 games? We have an 11 player roster.
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My take is the big pistons in the engine are Azzi and The Charm. Key contributions from Nika as the distributer, Dorka, Aaliyah, Amari, Aubrey, Lou, and Ice. Eight cylinders, a distributer and turbocharged by all the nay-sayers enjoying their momentary schadenfreude at Paige's expense. (Unlike the crowd, I am not expecting much from Yanna except moments of scintillating athleticism.)
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Carnac
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Ouch. You’re making me revisit the last game. Paige absolutely torched ND’s backcourt, until the injury. They were doing their typical fake foul drama, especially Mabry, and Paige just took it to them in the second half. I have every confidence they will not be able to handle an Azzi-Caroline led guard corps any better. And, yes, we should dominate the paint as well.
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UConn rarely plays a strict man-to-man. And Notre Dame runs a lot of screening so UConn will likely switch on all screens, if they have the players to do it. I think they are more ready for that this year than in many prior years.
But like another poster said, it's UConn's depth in the front court that will win the game.
But like another poster said, it's UConn's depth in the front court that will win the game.
EricSD
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I'd put Nika on Miles. It will be more physically taxing for whoever guards her IMHO. I'd rather see Azzi guard Mabry. But that's just a WAG on my part. Geno knows best.
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Griffin has been practicing and lifting at full speed for 2 months, so don't be concerned. To those that doubt Patterson 's playing time, your in for a rude awakening.
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He always knows best, but it's fun to think about potential match ups.
Yes it would be taxing, but Miles is crafty which is why this is intriguing to me. It would be a heck of a chess match, if it does happen.
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I think Nika will emerge as the one to soak up Paige's minutes. Nika is under Paige's tutelage and thats kinda scary for other teams. Nika has her fouling under control and she's probably the hardest working kid on the block. Shes hungry to learn and become a leader. Who better than Paige to show her how?
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I'd rather see someone a little bigger on her, and definitely not Fudd. Those Mabrey girls have a habit of accidently hitting UConn players in the throat/face.
I just watched the game at Marquette last year and Nika does so much more than score, Frankly, it isn't important to me , or based on her use by Geno the past 2 years to him it seems, that she be anything other than adequate in the scoring column. In that game she showed why Geno sings her praises. She defends, steals the ball and rebounds, in addition to distributing the ball and running the offense.
We have plenty of scorers with Azzi, Lou, Caroline, AE and Dorka (in addition to what we get from Yanna and Ice). We need a PG with leader qualities to get the best out of the rest of the team and she is definitely a leader. Time to give the "she has to score more" a rest. If she can get 5 PPG as she does all the other things Geno wants her to do, we will be golden, and no one will enjoy it more than Nika.
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The first date they are allowed to practice is three days later than the men because their opening game is three days later.
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I doubt Patterson's playing time, particularly early. IMHO her development will follow a similar, but quicker, path as Aubrey. Athletically superior but weak fundamentally. If I am wrong, my awakening will be anything but rude. It will be extremely joyous.
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