I'm REALLY excited for this upcoming season!

[EricLA]

I wanted to take a minute to pause and review what's been going on at UCONN lately. Over the past 6 weeks, we've gotten no less than 5 kids to verbal/commit to UCONN - Bueckers, Muhl, Makurat, Adebayo and Westbrook. It's an incredible collection of talent that not only helps this coming year, but obviously for years to come. But I'm especially excited for this coming season for a bunch of reasons:

Really looking forward to the improvement from all the players from last season - hopefully ONO and Christyn show substantial sophomore leaps, Megan continues to improve in all aspects of her game again reminding everyone why she was the #1 kid coming out of HS, Crystal regains her sense of control for the game and becomes the PG we all hope she can be, and the reserves continue to work hard, earn PT, and just be tremendous teammates.

We also add (so far) 4 new pieces...

1. Griffin - excited to see if she is indeed better (and by how much) than her HS ranking as most of us think
2. Makurat - Outstanding guard from Poland - size, skill, international experience - how good can she be? We've read some really good things about folks who have played with her overseas...
3. Westbrook - hopeful that she gets the waiver and I'm excited to see if not only she becomes a starter, as most of us think, but just how good she can be with better coaching
4. Adebayo - Soft hands, strong body, hard worker, not afraid of contact, and a good rebounder for her size. Just how good can she be on a team like UCONN? Will she only spell ONO at the 5, or will she earn PT along Olivia for longer stretches?

For all the "Baylor and Oregon are the clear top 2 teams", both lost some significant parts (so did UCONN I know) - Baylor 2 starters including their PG (Jackson as well as uber-center Brown), and Oregon lost Cazorla, technically their starting PG, but Ionescu often plays that role as well. And now UCONN has potentially 4 really talented kids ready to suit up and help...

Lots of other teams lost a little to a ton, ND being the hardest hit. But many of those teams have been busy in the off season adding transfers (regular, JUCO and grad) as well as still recruiting the foreign kids.

I don't see any one team as a clear favorite. That's just my $.02. If Evina gets the waiver, UCONN will have one of, if not the most talented starting 5 in the nation - not a single starter ranked lower than 5 in their class (Two #1's, a #2, #3 and #5). Griffin, Makurat and Adebayo off the bench - different skill sets, size, experience levels, etc.

I think UCONN, Oregon and Baylor are slightly ahead as the favorites, followed closely by Stanford, Maryland, Mississippi State, SC and then maybe Oregon State, aTm, Syracuse, UCLA and maybe a few others. Funny part is the very thing that has elevated UCONN so effectively (transfers), is also prevalent all over the rest of the WCBB landscape as everyone scrambles for the talented players wanting to go elsewhere. There are still lots of moving parts and decisions by players that will have an impact on how good teams will be.

Still, with the college hoops talent so wide spread, and so much talent moving causing many unknowns, I think it's going to be an exciting year. But as I said, I'm especially thrilled with what UCONN has done in the off season (thank you Geno and co.) and I can't wait for the first jump ball!! I'm still of the opinion that Geno is not done for this coming season, but I have no scientific proof of that - just a bunch of rumors, suppositions and gut feelings. If anyone really thinks Geno doesn't know exactly what he wants and needs, they aren't paying attention. GO UCONN!!!

 

[victor64]

Makurat doesn't merit any discussion for the upcoming season?

 

[oldude]

I've mentioned before that Charlie Creme's "Way to early top 25" was in fact way to early with UConn listed at 7. I still have OR at 1, but I now have UConn right up there with Baylor. I give Baylor the edge at center, although I think Liv will be a lot closer to Cox when March rolls around. I then give UConn the edge with the next 6 players on the roster.

 

[BobbyJ]

Makurat doesn't merit any discussion for the upcoming season?

Don't worry about Makurat. There will be plenty of discussion once she shows up and starts practicing. She hasn't been dominating overmatched HS kids. She can play.

 

[UcMiami]

Eric - really nice summary of the last month+. Nice to review what is a significantly improved team to the one that ended with the graduation of Lou and Pheesa.

Still a work in progress and growing pains are to be expected, but it will be fun to watch.

 

[Charliebball]

I'm excited about next season too but I have to admit that the '20-'21 season could be the beginning of something quite extraordinary with an influx of prized recruits joining most of the talented present roster........

 

[Boreifs]

I wanted to take a minute to pause and review what's been going on at UCONN lately. Over the past 6 weeks, we've gotten no less than 5 kids to verbal/commit to UCONN - Bueckers, Muhl, Makurat, Adebayo and Westbrook. It's an incredible collection of talent that not only helps this coming year, but obviously for years to come. But I'm especially excited for this coming season for a bunch of reasons:

Really looking forward to the improvement from all the players from last season - hopefully ONO and Christyn show substantial sophomore leaps, Megan continues to improve in all aspects of her game again reminding everyone why she was the #1 kid coming out of HS, Crystal regains her sense of control for the game and becomes the PG we all hope she can be, and the reserves continue to work hard, earn PT, and just be tremendous teammates.

We also add (so far) 4 new pieces...

1. Griffin - excited to see if she is indeed better (and by how much) than her HS ranking as most of us think
2. Makurat - Outstanding guard from Poland - size, skill, international experience - how good can she be? We've read some really good things about folks who have played with her overseas...
3. Westbrook - hopeful that she gets the waiver and I'm excited to see if not only she becomes a starter, as most of us think, but just how good she can be with better coaching
4. Adebayo - Soft hands, strong body, hard worker, not afraid of contact, and a good rebounder for her size. Just how good can she be on a team like UCONN? Will she only spell ONO at the 5, or will she earn PT along Olivia for longer stretches?

For all the "Baylor and Oregon are the clear top 2 teams", both lost some significant parts (so did UCONN I know) - Baylor 2 starters including their PG (Jackson as well as uber-center Brown), and Oregon lost Cazorla, technically their starting PG, but Ionescu often plays that role as well. And now UCONN has potentially 4 really talented kids ready to suit up and help...

Lots of other teams lost a little to a ton, ND being the hardest hit. But many of those teams have been busy in the off season adding transfers (regular, JUCO and grad) as well as still recruiting the foreign kids.

I don't see any one team as a clear favorite. That's just my $.02. If Evina gets the waiver, UCONN will have one of, if not the most talented starting 5 in the nation - not a single starter ranked lower than 5 in their class (Two #1's, a #2, #3 and #5). Griffin, Makurat and Adebayo off the bench - different skill sets, size, experience levels, etc.

I think UCONN, Oregon and Baylor are slightly ahead as the favorites, followed closely by Stanford, Maryland, Mississippi State, SC and then maybe Oregon State, aTm, Syracuse, UCLA and maybe a few others. Funny part is the very thing that has elevated UCONN so effectively (transfers), is also prevalent all over the rest of the WCBB landscape as everyone scrambles for the talented players wanting to go elsewhere. There are still lots of moving parts and decisions by players that will have an impact on how good teams will be.

Still, with the college hoops talent so wide spread, and so much talent moving causing many unknowns, I think it's going to be an exciting year. But as I said, I'm especially thrilled with what UCONN has done in the off season (thank you Geno and co.) and I can't wait for the first jump ball!! I'm still of the opinion that Geno is not done for this coming season, but I have no scientific proof of that - just a bunch of rumors, suppositions and gut feelings. If anyone really thinks Geno doesn't know exactly what he wants and needs, they aren't paying attention. GO UCONN!!!

Don’t forget that before she was injured, ONO was rated second; her play with USA the previous summer catapaulted her to that position.

 

[Monte]

I like your enthusiasm. It is always fun to anticipate what good things lurk ahead.

 

[veryolddog]

I agree with the premise that we all should be more optimistic about the coming season. The recent additions have changed the strength of this team and this should make this team much more competitive among the top twenty teams and the teams of the AAC. Funny, the AAC probably thought that this was their year to have teams beat UConn. All this is well and good, but we still need to have a giant person on this team that will backup and complement ONO. The next thing is to build team character, team identity, and just plain TEAM so that they can work together in unison for the common goal of winning in the UConn tradition.

 

[ucbart]

I must say, I can't remember a time when I've been more excited for a season that this one. Yes, the NC's are awesome, and I want to win one every year. But the unknown is also fun too. This team is going to be very different than the one that left the floor in Tampa just 5 weeks ago.

*I think Christyn could very well have a Lou/Phee type sophomore leap. It won't surprise me one bit if she is a 1st team AA.
*I think Crystal's #1 thing she needs to improve is her decision making. For as good as she is, she still makes some pretty questionable decisions.
*With Aubrey's athleticism and height of 6'1", do you think Geno will develop her as a 4?
*And finally, Olivia is the key. If she rebounds and defends in the post and can stay in games without fouling, we could be really, really good.

 

[Waquoit]

UConn will be fine. Geno needed to get a couple of more players in there for this season and he got them. Game on.

 

[Geesworld]

The three things I am looking forward to and excited to see from my favorite team next season.

1. ONO's overall growth. Will she be more assertive on the offensive end? Will Geno Blend to her skill set or will it be the other way around.

2. There is no longer any NC players on this team.
We know, Crystal is going to be the leader, but who will join her? Will it be Meg or Christyn or both?

3. Will the offense change now that we have different skills sets compared to the last few years.

 

[huskeynut]

Nice summary.

I can't wait to see how this "new team" comes together. Assuming Evina is granted a waiver, the talent level on the court is scary - Crystal, Christyn, Evina, Megan, Olivia, Ani and Adebeyo. Seven player rotation to start the season. The fun will watching how the chemistry develops and what type of explosiveness will appear. If we can control the defensive boards, we have the speed to fast break a lot of teams off the court. There is also the potential of having 5 players in double figures most games.

 

[VaConnFan11]

The question is....Are the new players going to get the UConn system quick enough to be efficient? Of the 7 players listed, only 2 will have more than 1 season in the UConn system.

 

[warbler1055]

The question is....Are the new players going to get the UConn system quick enough to be efficient? Of the 7 players listed, only 2 will have more than 1 season in the UConn system.

Pretty sure that Geno, Chris, Shea and staff will earn their pay. They (players) might be new to each other in October but by March next year there will be a well integrated and well oiled machine!!!

 

[huskeynut]

The question is....Are the new players going to get the UConn system quick enough to be efficient? Of the 7 players listed, only 2 will have more than 1 season in the UConn system.

These young ladies are smart. They will get the system concepts quicker than most of us think. What will take time and practice will be learning each others moves. Who likes to back cut, who picks and rolls, who fills the lanes for passes, were do they like the ball delivered. Like anything else, repetition - repetition - repetition.

 

[meyers7]

I'm REALLY excited for this upcoming season!

I'm sure there are plenty on here that will try to chip away at your excitement over the next few months.

 

[eebmg]

I do seem to recall somewhere through the middle of conference play that he made a great effort to reduce the 'playbook' dramatically and that seemed to help with some of the bench (at least for a while).

I think he will be more sensitive to growing pain issues than he may have been in the past. Especially with transfers such as Evelyn where she is only here for 1 year.

 

[meyers7]

2. There is no longer any NC players on this team.
We know, Crystal is going to be the leader, but who will join her? Will it be Meg or Christyn or both?

Although she won't play a lot of minutes, Irwin will be one of the leaders/captains of the team.

 

[oldude]

Although she won't play a lot of minutes, Irwin will be one of the leaders/captains of the team.

Kyla, Molly & Batouly may not play a lot of minutes during the season, but they will all have extremely important leadership roles to play starting with summer pickup games, by helping all the newbies understand and adapt to UConn’s system. Kyla in particular, as a coach’s daughter, has as good an understanding of UConn’s system as anyone.

 

[Geesworld]

I do seem to recall somewhere through the middle of conference play that he made a great effort to reduce the 'playbook' dramatically and that seemed to help with some of the bench (at least for a while).

I think he will be more sensitive to growing pain issues than he may have been in the past. Especially with transfers such as Evelyn where she is only here for 1 year.

You took the words right out of my head.

After a couple sluggish games early after winter break, Geno said that they had to fine tune some things and that meant reducing the playbook or simplifying assingments. Some those struggles were with the Freshman CW/ONO. It will take the New faces some time getting adjusted.

 

[Carnac]

Pretty sure that Geno, Chris, Shea and staff will earn their pay. They (players) might be new to each other in October but by March next year there will be a well integrated and well oiled machine!!!

He's not going to ask them to do things he knows they are not capable of at the beginning of the season. Geno knows what he's doing and what he's got. He's not going to try to fit a square peg in a round hole. He'll play in a fashion that is conducive and reflective of his team's skill level and abilities. As they learn and become more comfortable with his "normal" system, then he will make adjustments. He will ALWAYS put them in a position to be successful and win.

 

[bantamlaker]

In addition to the fans there is another group that must be pretty excited - Geno, Chris, Shea and Jasmine. It will be a challenge for the coaching staff to meld this group into a championship caliber team but they are certainly up to the task.

 

[Buzzyboy]

I wanted to take a minute to pause and review what's been going on at UCONN lately. Over the past 6 weeks, we've gotten no less than 5 kids to verbal/commit to UCONN - Bueckers, Muhl, Makurat, Adebayo and Westbrook. It's an incredible collection of talent that not only helps this coming year, but obviously for years to come. But I'm especially excited for this coming season for a bunch of reasons:

Really looking forward to the improvement from all the players from last season - hopefully ONO and Christyn show substantial sophomore leaps, Megan continues to improve in all aspects of her game again reminding everyone why she was the #1 kid coming out of HS, Crystal regains her sense of control for the game and becomes the PG we all hope she can be, and the reserves continue to work hard, earn PT, and just be tremendous teammates.

We also add (so far) 4 new pieces...

1. Griffin - excited to see if she is indeed better (and by how much) than her HS ranking as most of us think
2. Makurat - Outstanding guard from Poland - size, skill, international experience - how good can she be? We've read some really good things about folks who have played with her overseas...
3. Westbrook - hopeful that she gets the waiver and I'm excited to see if not only she becomes a starter, as most of us think, but just how good she can be with better coaching
4. Adebayo - Soft hands, strong body, hard worker, not afraid of contact, and a good rebounder for her size. Just how good can she be on a team like UCONN? Will she only spell ONO at the 5, or will she earn PT along Olivia for longer stretches?

For all the "Baylor and Oregon are the clear top 2 teams", both lost some significant parts (so did UCONN I know) - Baylor 2 starters including their PG (Jackson as well as uber-center Brown), and Oregon lost Cazorla, technically their starting PG, but Ionescu often plays that role as well. And now UCONN has potentially 4 really talented kids ready to suit up and help...

Lots of other teams lost a little to a ton, ND being the hardest hit. But many of those teams have been busy in the off season adding transfers (regular, JUCO and grad) as well as still recruiting the foreign kids.

I don't see any one team as a clear favorite. That's just my $.02. If Evina gets the waiver, UCONN will have one of, if not the most talented starting 5 in the nation - not a single starter ranked lower than 5 in their class (Two #1's, a #2, #3 and #5). Griffin, Makurat and Adebayo off the bench - different skill sets, size, experience levels, etc.

I think UCONN, Oregon and Baylor are slightly ahead as the favorites, followed closely by Stanford, Maryland, Mississippi State, SC and then maybe Oregon State, aTm, Syracuse, UCLA and maybe a few others. Funny part is the very thing that has elevated UCONN so effectively (transfers), is also prevalent all over the rest of the WCBB landscape as everyone scrambles for the talented players wanting to go elsewhere. There are still lots of moving parts and decisions by players that will have an impact on how good teams will be.

Still, with the college hoops talent so wide spread, and so much talent moving causing many unknowns, I think it's going to be an exciting year. But as I said, I'm especially thrilled with what UCONN has done in the off season (thank you Geno and co.) and I can't wait for the first jump ball!! I'm still of the opinion that Geno is not done for this coming season, but I have no scientific proof of that - just a bunch of rumors, suppositions and gut feelings. If anyone really thinks Geno doesn't know exactly what he wants and needs, they aren't paying attention. GO UCONN!!!

I've always thought that your posts were so substantive and well thought out and your points, mentioned above, reinforce that. There were so many questions and so much anxiety just a few short weeks ago and some naysayers ready to jump overboard but as you mentioned, Geno and the staff seem to have reloaded very well and very quickly. He has evolved in today's world of women's basketball by going overseas and looking at transfers more so than in the past. It may be difficult to get all these new parts into a coordinated group but I think, as the season progresses, we're going to have a pretty talented and exciting team ..... we were so blessed when Geno and Chris decided to plant themselves in Storrs and they've given us much more than we could have ever hoped. Unprecedented success .......

 

[Buzzyboy]

Kyla, Molly & Batouly may not play a lot of minutes during the season, but they will all have extremely important leadership roles to play starting with summer pickup games, by helping all the newbies understand and adapt to UConn’s system. Kyla in particular, as a coach’s daughter, has as good an understanding of UConn’s system as anyone.

Very good points .......