If Brianna Banks had played last night,

[Olde Coach]

UConn would have been a much stronger team. BB was UConn's best "take it to the hoop" guard and (after Kelly Faris) our best perimeter defender. She would have played a lot of minutes last night making life more difficult for Diggens and McBride. And giving Doty and Hartley significant rest periods.

Obviously, Brianna won't play any more this year; and the Huskies just have to "make do" with the players who are healthy. Playing w.o. Banks, UConn is significantly weakened when playing teams with fast and dangerous guards. (ND and Baylor).

In all the comments I have read about last night's game, I have seen no mention of BB's absence.
She deserves a big "we missed you" cheer from all the UConn family. And the team deserves some extra credits for doing as well as they did without a very special player.

Good luck with your pending surgery, Breanna. We miss you.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I mentioned it, and I think a few others did. Yeah, the extended perimeter defense would have allowed her to get into the lane almost at will. And she likely would have helped reduce the TO count and harassed the ND guards with fresh energy. I think Briana was worth 5 or so points last night and, thus, a win.

 

[hoopsdiva]

At the very least, Brianna would have given us 5 more fouls to spread out among the guards. But in reality she would have contributed so much more than that - defense, ball handling, drives to the basket, to say nothing of fresh legs and a rest for the other guards throughout the game.

 

[vtcwbuff]

. . . and if frogs had wings . . . .

 

[UConn990411]

Banks is the type of player whose injury has gone completely overlooked, particularly by people who aren't UConn fans.

I don't want to make excuses - UConn still has the talent to compete with and beat Notre Dame and Baylor. They just aren't getting it done.

But Banks was this team's most athletic guard, and quite frankly the best ball handler on the team (her most overlooked skill). She also would have been another good defender to throw at the Digginses and Simses so that Faris could get a quick breather.

I'm not saying Banks would have magically healed all UConn's issues, but she definitely would have helped cover up some weaknesses.

 

[GoUconn7961]

If, if, if....

 

[blkkirk]

Her loss was definitely felt last night!

 

[meyers7]

But Banks was this team's most athletic guard, and quite frankly the best ball handler on the team (her most overlooked skill).

Eh, no, that would be Jefferson. But is she would have definitely helped last night.

 

[vtcwbuff]

When Banks went down I turned to my wife and said "there goes the season." I felt that she was that important to the team. At the time Hartley and Doty were struggling and she was the guard that could come in a provide some offense.

 

[Mattydog]

I mentioned it, and I think a few others did. Yeah, the extended perimeter defense would have allowed her to get into the lane almost at will. And she likely would have helped reduce the TO count and harassed the ND guards with fresh energy. I think Briana was worth 5 or so points last night and, thus, a win.

More than 5.

 

[UConnChapette]

Every team has injuries, they have to learn to adjust. Yes, she would have helped in many ways. But we will never know if it would have been enough.

 

[John Glass]

Louisville, TN, DePaul, MD, Duke and ? are missing key players...........

several teams have at least one important player injured, it is vital that Geno brings in 4 or 5 players in the 2014 recruiting class. Then one injury will have very little impact on the season.

 

[UConnChapette]

If playing time is a concern for recruits, come 2014 there will be lots to be had. Stef and Bria will have graduated. There will be 7 players on the team, with Kiah, Kaleena and Brianna will be seniors.

2014 will have opportunity galore for recruits to come in and make an immediate impact.

 

[Dove]

Jeez, and if we had Diana? Or Jenn Rizzotti? We would have won by 30!!

Can't play the "if" game.

 

[RadyLady]

UConn would have been a much stronger team. BB was UConn's best "take it to the hoop" guard and (after Kelly Faris) our best perimeter defender. She would have played a lot of minutes last night making life more difficult for Diggens and McBride. And giving Doty and Hartley significant rest periods.

Obviously, Brianna won't play any more this year; and the Huskies just have to "make do" with the players who are healthy. Playing w.o. Banks, UConn is significantly weakened when playing teams with fast and dangerous guards. (ND and Baylor).

In all the comments I have read about last night's game, I have seen no mention of BB's absence.
She deserves a big "we missed you" cheer from all the UConn family. And the team deserves some extra credits for doing as well as they did without a very special player.

Good luck with your pending surgery, Breanna. We miss you.

+1
You are absolutely correct OC. Would have loved to see BB in there tearing up the place and raising hell. And as I have said before in my post game comments I am proud of the effort that this team put in for that game. We were so close and BB could have been 1 of the important tdifference makers


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[RadyLady]

Every team has injuries, they have to learn to adjust. Yes, she would have helped in many ways. But we will never know if it would have been enough.

Come on Chap, olde coach is right. and we were so close without her and I don't think there's any reason why we couldn't think that BB would have made a difference. With her playing, the game may not have been anywhere near as close as it was seriously... yes this is speculation but I like to speculate in the positive column given Banks tremendous improvement and stellar performance this year before going down to injury

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