I liked what I saw short and sweet

[Tonyc]

Well after yesterdays exhibition game against a Dll team I liked what I saw. Going back to the rankings/polls. It looks like UConn has a couple of superstars in Azzi and Lou and a third who did not play in Caroline. Stanford has 2 in Jones and Brink and SC has Boston. We have some terrific almost automatic shooters in Azzi and Lou and Caroline. Iowa has Clark. We have a really good point guard and leader with the ball in Nika and SC and Stanford not as good. Getting the picture. Yes it was a Dll team and we will see more in the up coming games but there is some really good expectations in my head. Texas will be tuff. NC State will be tuff. I think we win both games staying out of foul trouble. Our shooters will force defenses to come out and guard us leaving Dorka who looked really good and Edwards who didnt commit any fouls and Yanna who can rebound a chance to take their defender one on one. My eyes are wide open after yesterdays game and even though it was against a lesser talented team we won by alot without Caroline and our two injured players. This UConn team has the pieces to go a long way.

 

[CTrefugee]

.......and now we understand why Amari gets so little floor time.

 

[Bone Dog]

My eyes are wide open after yesterdays game and even though it was against a lesser talented team we won by alot without Caroline and our two injured players. This UConn team has the pieces to go a long way.

I am right there with you, @Tonyc. The guards are awesome and the bigs are even stronger than I expected to see. Dorka and Aaliyah looked super confident and ready. Aubrey and Ayanna have so much energy. I’m not even worried about next year when we lose Dorka and Lou — who looked tremendous yesterday — if ice and Paige are coming back. Geno has put together a great team.

 

[oldude]

.......and now we understand why Amari gets so little floor time.

Did you ever notice that no matter how optimistic Tonyc’s posts are, there is always one BY’er who needs to point out the tiny cloud inside the giant silver lining?

 

[Next 12]

I also have noted that. I have predicted that we will average 78-85 points a game. This game showed me I am not stretching and we have the fire power to achieve this. Yes, Kutztown is a Dll team,but we worked together better in our first game that will carry over to the DI schools. WHAT i SEE IS OUR DEFENSE WILL BE A MAJOR FACTOR IN OUR SUCCESSES. GO HUSKIES!!!

 

[Bone Dog]

I’m not even worried about our defense. Yes, they were some mistakes made yesterday. But we are Team-Energy. That will make up for it until we’ve perfected that side of the game.

 

[RedStickHusky]

We'll see how she does against better competition, but with Yanna in the mix, I think we could be less vulnerable to front court foul trouble this year. It's still a three big rotation but we won't have Liv defending the three-point line. Biggest issue with fouls might be Nika but, yesterday at least, she looks a lot more under control.

 

[GoUconn7961]

WCBB pundits on Twitter feel that our toughest game coming up is TX as the teams both have strong backcourts. It'll be a good one.

 

[Skeets]

Some thoughts. I think it's conceivable that by, say mid-February, Ines could be a serviceable backup PG to Nika for 10 or 15 minutes, allowing Azzi to stay at the 2 where she is deadly.

Lou or Caroline, doesn't matter. A little more offense from 1, a little more defense from the other. It's a shame they will probably split many each other's minutes especially when Azzi is at the 2.

I'm perplexed as to why an athletic 6'5" player cannot play better than what we've been seeing. I got to believe there's an upside there that for some reason has not emerged yet. Why? I have no clue.

Yanna, lots of upside. With a little polish she could be scary good. Reminds me a little bit of Andre Jackson on the men's side. Blessed with God given talent.

 

[CTrefugee]

Did you ever notice that no matter how optimistic Tonyc’s posts are, there is always one BY’er who needs to point out the tiny cloud inside the giant silver lining?

Keeps you grounded in reality.

 

[Charliebball]

Did you ever notice that no matter how optimistic Tonyc’s posts are, there is always one BY’er who needs to point out the tiny cloud inside the giant silver lining?

OK I'll be that person.............a fun game to watch especially with that three-point barrage and total control of the boards and the fastbreak.............let me see some of that play against Texas and I'll be convinced this team can compete successfully at the highest level......

 

[oldude]

Keeps you grounded in reality.

I get more than enough reality watching the evening news. There's nothing like a good dose of Tonyc optimism every now and then to brighten up your day.

 

[CL82]

Some thoughts. I think it's conceivable that by, say mid-February, Ines could be a serviceable backup PG to Nika for 10 or 15 minutes, allowing Azzi to stay at the 2 where she is deadly.

Lou or Caroline, doesn't matter. A little more offense from 1, a little more defense from the other. It's a shame they will probably split many each other's minutes especially when Azzi is at the 2.

I'm perplexed as to why an athletic 6'5" player cannot play better than what we've been seeing. I got to believe there's an upside there that for some reason has not emerged yet. Why? I have no clue.

Yanna, lots of upside. With a little polish she could be scary good. Reminds me a little bit of Andre Jackson on the men's side. Blessed with God given talent.

Yanna is one tough kid. And think about this, she is essentially a high school kid. Imagine what she is going to look like and play like after a couple of years of strength and conditioning.

 

[oldude]

Yanna is one tough kid. And think about this, she is essentially a high school kid. Imagine what she is going to look like and play like after a couple of years of strength and conditioning.

 

[Bone Dog]

Yanna is one tough kid. And think about this, she is essentially a high school kid. Imagine what she is going to look like and play like after a couple of years of strength and conditioning.

I think you mean a couple more years of strength and conditioning. I gather she's been doing strength training all through high school. She didn't get to be this strong by accident.

 

[CL82]

I think you mean a couple more years of strength and conditioning. I gather she's been doing strength training all through high school. She didn't get to be this strong by accident.

Yep, but her high school strength and conditioning wasn’t being run by Andrea Hudy. What we are seeing now, impressive as it is, is only the beginning.

 

[BobbyJ]

Yanna is one tough kid. And think about this, she is essentially a high school kid. Imagine what she is going to look like and play like after a couple of years of strength and conditioning.

Strength isn’t her weakness. She needs to develop a variety of shots around the paint, she’s not just jumping over 5-10 kids in there anymore.

 

[CL82]

Strength isn’t her weakness. She needs to develop a variety of shots around the paint, she’s not just jumping over 5-10 kids in there anymore.

The biggest thing I saw was she was trying to finish directly under the hoop. That’s a tough shot even without two people hanging on you. She needs to learn when to take it to the hole and when to kick it out. But for a debut, she was impressive.

 

[BobbyJ]

The biggest thing I saw was she was trying to finish directly under the hoop. That’s a tough shot even without two people hanging on you. She needs to learn when to take it to the hole and when to kick it out. But for a debut, she was impressive.

I agree. Needs to learn a drop step or one step away, turn, elevate, and extend with one hand.

 

[Carnac]

WCBB pundits on Twitter feel that our toughest game coming up is TX as the teams both have strong backcourts. It'll be a good one.

No doubt about it. UConn WILL BE TESTED this season. Texas is the first one. I'm elated that this game was scheduled at the beginning of the season. I don't want to wait 10-12 games into the season for a real test. I want to know right away. Texas is ranked #3 in the preseason polls. A top 5 team for sure. The question is can they run with us?? No doubt Geno is going to take the leash off, and let 'em run long hard and fast.

We're going to score lots of points. Can they keep up? Texas will go deep into the NCAAT this year. North Carolina State 6 days later is another test. Iron sharpens iron!! They were a #1 seed in the tournament last year. Bring 'em on. Let's see what we've got. That's why players want to come to UConn. To play the best and be the best.

Our next opponent Northeastern finished 14-18/8/10 last year. They finished 7th in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). They will be a "tune-up" for Texas. Northeastern WCBB roster. Tallest player is a 6'3" freshman.

 

[HuskyNan]

When I saw Ayanna play, she struck me as a physical specimen. She also has a tough-minded, won’t back down approach that’s going to make her a difficult matchup. She and Aaliyah can do some damage in thepaint

 

[Longtime fan]

Well after yesterdays exhibition game against a Dll team I liked what I saw. Going back to the rankings/polls. It looks like UConn has a couple of superstars in Azzi and Lou and a third who did not play in Caroline. Stanford has 2 in Jones and Brink and SC has Boston. We have some terrific almost automatic shooters in Azzi and Lou and Caroline. Iowa has Clark. We have a really good point guard and leader with the ball in Nika and SC and Stanford not as good. Getting the picture. Yes it was a Dll team and we will see more in the up coming games but there is some really good expectations in my head. Texas will be tuff. NC State will be tuff. I think we win both games staying out of foul trouble. Our shooters will force defenses to come out and guard us leaving Dorka who looked really good and Edwards who didnt commit any fouls and Yanna who can rebound a chance to take their defender one on one. My eyes are wide open after yesterdays game and even though it was against a lesser talented team we won by alot without Caroline and our two injured players. This UConn team has the pieces to go a long way.

Tony, please help me with something. I was unable to see any of the exhibition yesterday, so I only had access to the box score. What I saw there was disturbing. Specifically, I saw no stats for De Berry. I read that she entered the game in the fourth period. So she stayed in Storrs all Sumer to gain strength and work on her game, and what she earned was, " garbage time against a Division II opponent, during which she did nothing?" I seriously believe that she is a key to this season. If she is no better than last year, we won't make the sweet sixteen. Please tell me I have no cause for concern here. But I expected she would have put up some easy good numbers.

 

[HuskyNan]

Tony, please help me with something. I was unable to see any of the exhibition yesterday, so I only had access to the box score. What I saw there was disturbing. Specifically, I saw no stats for De Berry. I read that she entered the game in the fourth period. So she stayed in Storrs all Sumer to gain strength and work on her game, and what she earned was, " garbage time against a Division II opponent, during which she did nothing?" I seriously believe that she is a key to this season. If she is no better than last year, we won't make the sweet sixteen. Please tell me I have no cause for concern here. But I expected she would have put up some easy good numbers.

The link to the game replay is tacked to the top of the board

 

[Longtime fan]

The link to the game replay is tacked to the top of the board

Many thanks.

 

[Longtime fan]

Well after yesterdays exhibition game against a Dll team I liked what I saw. Going back to the rankings/polls. It looks like UConn has a couple of superstars in Azzi and Lou and a third who did not play in Caroline. Stanford has 2 in Jones and Brink and SC has Boston. We have some terrific almost automatic shooters in Azzi and Lou and Caroline. Iowa has Clark. We have a really good point guard and leader with the ball in Nika and SC and Stanford not as good. Getting the picture. Yes it was a Dll team and we will see more in the up coming games but there is some really good expectations in my head. Texas will be tuff. NC State will be tuff. I think we win both games staying out of foul trouble. Our shooters will force defenses to come out and guard us leaving Dorka who looked really good and Edwards who didnt commit any fouls and Yanna who can rebound a chance to take their defender one on one. My eyes are wide open after yesterdays game and even though it was against a lesser talented team we won by alot without Caroline and our two injured players. This UConn team has the pieces to go a long way.

To be honest, I don't think we can read anything from that exhibition. It is like the Houston Astros playing an exhibition game against the West Point baseball team, as a tribute to military service. But one significant thing was the absence of any contribution from DeBerry. She should be able to score every time she has the ball against K-town. If she remains a non factor, the team's future is limited. Dorka and Williams are very good, but they will be burned out by March. Ice Brady was their safety net, and DeBerry their hope of last
resort ( in case she found her game, and decided to play ). I already feel that DeBerry has established her place at the end of the bench, holding a broom. this is hugely disappointing. Did she do nothing all summer in Storrs? Please prove me wrong. We need her to be a force.