Husky Pups

[ScottCT]

First thing I noticed was that Paige isn't nearly as skinny as she used to be. She bulked up a lot.

 

[BobbyJ]

To me, Edwards is the one who jumps off of the page.

Paige jumps off the page (haha) as well, I think Shea (a workout warrior in her own right) has locked her inside the weight room.

The best UConn freshman class was 1998-1999, with Bird, Walters, Jones, Cash and Williams.

This one has a chance to be just as good or better. Number one, there is plenty of playing time available. Number two, they are absolutely awesome.

I’d pump the brakes on that prediction. Three of them will do well to get blowout time.

 

[EdSaid]

We're probably headed into the Twilight Zone of height talk but...Nika is listed at 5-10 and Paige at 5-11 so that size difference would seem to be fairly accurate.

The perspective of the photo plays a part too. This one is shot from a low level looking up at the players. A more vertical shot would likely give a better view.

You had to say "Twilight Zone."

 

[donalddoowop]

Nika has that Sue Bird look of confidence.

Someone who may have an idea please tell me if you think Nika will be as good or better than Loren Dixon. Does she seem, based on her mix tapes, as talented at the same stage in their careers?

 

[oldhusky]

We're probably headed into the Twilight Zone of height talk but...Nika is listed at 5-10 and Paige at 5-11 so that size difference would seem to be fairly accurate.

The perspective of the photo plays a part too. This one is shot from a low level looking up at the players. A more vertical shot would likely give a better view.

So the good thing is we have point guards that are 5-10 and 5-11, after 8 straight years of mini mites in Jefferson and Dangerfield. Also if Westbrook plays any point guard she is even bigger at 6 feet. That is a pretty big point guard group

 

[bluedevil]

Can't wait for these Husky Pups to grow into Husky Dogs...

 

[HuskyFan1125]

Someone who may have an idea please tell me if you think Nika will be as good or better than Loren Dixon. Does she seem, based on her mix tapes, as talented at the same stage in their careers?

IMO. Significantly better than Dixon!

 

[UConnCat]

The length of Aaliyah’s arms!!! Napheesa-like.

 

[MilfordHusky]

First thing I noticed was that Paige isn't nearly as skinny as she used to be. She bulked up a lot.

1. Paige has spent some time in the weight room.

2. She’s standing next to Autumn.

 

[soxfan23]

The “big girl” looks like a legit “big”. She maybe the surprise of the pack!

Gabriel is certainly big, and she has some great tools to work with(size, runs the court well, soft hands), but she is incredibly raw and quite new to the game(only started taking it seriously 4 years ago). I think it is unfair to expect much more than garbage minutes here and there for her this year.

 

[Steelerone]

I don't think I've ever seen the Boneyarder's more excited about not only an upcoming season but an upcoming class. Isn't this great? Who's going to contribute the most? Who will start? Who will get the most minutes?
Can we beat the top teams on our schedule? And, because no one has mentioned it in this post, will Azzi choose Uconn?

 

[DefenseBB]

Someone who may have an idea please tell me if you think Nika will be as good or better than Loren Dixon. Does she seem, based on her mix tapes, as talented at the same stage in their careers?

On the surface, Nika should be ahead of Dixon heading Into her freshman year simply due to her significantly more experience in Europe.
From a statistic perspective Loren’s freshman stats are listed 1st, career 2nd
GP-S Pts. Min per FG/ 3pt/ FT% A TO steals
35-10 2.1 14.4 .375/.167/.600 57 42 11
135-18 2.5 16.7 .417/.220/.615 278 170. 70

So based on what I see Nika should be a better shooter with a higher Assist to Turnover ratio than Loren 57-42 and more steals.

Loren was a great contributor but Nika should provide more. IMHO.

 

[DEpup]

Gabriel is certainly big, and she has some great tools to work with(size, runs the court well, soft hands), but she is incredibly raw and quite new to the game(only started taking it seriously 4 years ago). I think it is unfair to expect much more than garbage minutes here and there for her this year.

Maybe we can just start with some Dolson film on how to set a good screen with that body she has. I want to see a little guard chasing Chrystin get bounced by a monster screen. If she can get her teammates some open shots then she'll be doing good her freshman year.

 

[CocoHusky]

Someone who may have an idea please tell me if you think Nika will be as good or better than Loren Dixon. Does she seem, based on her mix tapes, as talented at the same stage in their careers?

Nika seems to be much more talented than Lorin Dixon. For starters Nika appears to be a much better long range shooter and more of a natural scorer. Lorin only shot 22 % on 3pt FGA for her UCONN career. Because Dixon was not a natural scorer nor an adequate deep shooter opportunities to get playing time at UCONN was limited. Nika appears to be as good defensively, a better play maker in the half court set and is versatile enough to play SG as well as PG. The one thing that is very similar is the talent that UCONN acquired while Dixon was at UCONN. As a Freshman Dixon joined a roster that already included Greene and Montgomery. The next season Doty and Hayes were added followed by Faris who was followed by Hartley. Dixon really never had a chance to establish her self as a UCONN starter because of all this talent. In fact Dixon started more games as a freshman (10) than she did for her last three years at UCONN combined (8). Dixon minutes peaked at 21MPG as a senior. I suspect if Nika were to average 20 MPG for UCONN at any point in her UCONN career she will be more productive than Dixon was as a senior where she only averaged 2.9 PPG. I'm projecting a Saniya Chong like UCONN career for Nika with better defensive efficiency.

 

[Skeets]

It doesn't look like anyone is going to be moving Piath any place she don't want to go. She might be a project now, but wow, what an upside.

 

[MSGRET]

Nika seems to be much more talented than Lorin Dixon. For starters Nika appears to be a much better long range shooter and more of a natural scorer. Lorin only shot 22 % on 3pt FGA for her UCONN career. Because Dixon was not a natural scorer nor an adequate deep shooter opportunities to get playing time at UCONN was limited. Nika appears to be as good defensively, a better play maker in the half court set and is versatile enough to play SG as well as PG. The one thing that is very similar is the talent that UCONN acquired while Dixon was at UCONN. As a Freshman Dixon joined a roster that already included Greene and Montgomery. The next season Doty and Hayes were added followed by Faris who was followed by Hartley. Dixon really never had a chance to establish her self as a UCONN starter because of all this talent. In fact Dixon started more games as a freshman (10) than she did for her last three years at UCONN combined (8). Dixon minutes peaked at 21MPG as a senior. I suspect if Nika were to average 20 MPG for UCONN at any point in her UCONN career she will be more productive than Dixon was as a senior where she only averaged 2.9 PPG. I'm projecting a Saniya Chong like UCONN career for Nika with better defensive efficiency.

I believe that Nika will have a career in a higher level than Saniya Chong. She will be playing more in her Sophomore and Junior years than Saniya.

 

[ScottCT]

I think people are massively under selling Nika.

 

[bluedevil]

I think people are massively under selling Nika.

No...lets let her get her feet wet before we throw her into the pool...

 

[CocoHusky]

I believe that Nika will have a career in a higher level than Saniya Chong. She will be playing more in her Sophomore and Junior years than Saniya.

Saniya was a UCONN starter at the beginning of her Sophomore year before being replaced by freshman Kia Nurse. Saniya's junior season was mostly limited by an IT band injury. Even with better health I don't see Nika becoming a starter as a sophomore because......

I think people are massively under selling Nika.

I think you are massively under selling her competition for minutes at UCONN.
Freshman Year: Williams, Westbrook, Bueckers.
Sophomore Year: Williams Westbrook(?) Bueckers, Poffenbarger, Ducharme, *.

* Please note that the player not to be mentioned has not been.

 

[MSGRET]

No...lets let her get her feet wet before we throw her into the pool...

Anna, Aaliyah, and Nika have played for their National team's, what other current Husky player has done that? All three National teams that they played for are better then most college teams, so I wouldn't sell them short. Yes they will have to adapt to Geno ball but they aren't like normal Freshman. Look at Anna, at the beginning she did look like a deer in the headlights, but at the end of the season she was one of the top players on the team.

 

[Carnac]

I don't think I've ever seen the Boneyarder's more excited about not only an upcoming season but an upcoming class. Isn't this great? Who's going to contribute the most? Who will start? Who will get the most minutes?
Can we beat the top teams on our schedule? And, because no one has mentioned it in this post, will Azzi choose Uconn? We’ll know soon.

Steelerone, those are the two biggest questions that loomed over this program all summer. If it was mentioned, I missed it, but I don’t recall reading a comment or concern about up coming conference play.

The $64,000 question remained consistent throughout the summer. Can this UConn team win the BIG games on their schedule this season? We were wondering then, we’re wondering now. How good UConn can be will be measured against Baylor, Louisville and South Carolina. Azzi: will she or won’t she? It’s anticipated that she will announce her verbal soon.

It really hasn’t been a topic of discussion so far, but what are the chances UConn runs the table in conference play this year? I think their chances are very good. One thing is for sure, UConn will be the biggest game on their conference opponent‘s schedule, and thus will get everyone’s best shot.

Other than DePaul and Seton Hall, UConn hasn’t played any of these teams in years if at all.

 

[Alydar]

How good UConn can be will be measured against Baylor, Louisville and South Carolina.

How good they are perceived to be. Hopefully they will be better in April than they are in Dec/Jan.

But those 3 games will be the tests.

 

[winlots]

Since VERY early childhood have had a great interest in team colors, mascots and uniforms. Really dig this uni BIG time. True UCONN colors in full plus SUPER clean and crisp look. Outfit of CHAMPTIONS; kinda like Wheaties.

 

[Steelerone]

Steelerone, those are the two biggest questions that loomed over this program all summer. If it was mentioned, I missed it, but I don’t recall reading a comment or concern about up coming conference play.

The $64,000 question remained consistent throughout the summer. Can this UConn team win the BIG games on their schedule this season? We were wondering then, we’re wondering now. How good UConn can be will be measured against Baylor, Louisville and South Carolina. Azzi: will she or won’t she?

It really hasn’t been a topic of discussion so far, but what are the chances UConn runs the table in conference play this year?

If they do then we would have to go back to the time we originally played in the Big East. Was it Notre Dame?

 

[Steelerone]

Me too. First thing that hit me about this group shot. Want to see her contributing on the floor this year.

And the best thing is that not only do we finally have some height but they are athletic.