IMO UCONN looked very beatable on Sunday

[hoophuskee]

You have Stewart, Hartley, Jefferson and Dolson to pick up the slack. UCONN is better able to absorb the loss of a player than is Louisville.

But there is an enormous separation between KML and the sub. I beleive that is more imprtant that "we can absorb."

You have Stewart, Hartley, Jefferson and Dolson to pick up the slack. UCONN is better able to absorb the loss of a player than is Louisville.

In terms of winning the game - yes UCONN can. In terms of which player would have the biggest impact, I go with KML.

 

[cohenzone]

Allowing for Ville not having its starting point guard, and mathematically handicapping UConn for having half a KML, divided by the square root of a short bench, what on Earth made them look beatable when they trounced the #4 or so team in the country? 17 points is a trouncing, the heck with the irrelevant 14-9 at the end. This team and the lousy quality of a lot of our opposition is spoiling some folks. Must be that UConn is bad for women's hoops

 

[pap49cba]

Must be that UConn is bad for women's hoops

Well that's a given....

 

[HoopsFan21]

ETT, foul trouble and injuries can spell problems especially with a short bench. Yes, we are talented - but a short bench can be trouble - and as to having "Stewart, Hartley, Jefferson and Dolson to pick up the pack", you can't play basketball with only 4 on the floor

Sure you can. Geno makes 'em do it in practice. Against male players. I bet this UConn team with just four players (assuming you could still sub in) would still have a winning record.

 

[watanabe]

Sure you can. Geno makes 'em do it in practice. Against male players. I bet this UConn team with just four players (assuming you could still sub in) would still have a winning record.

I've thought that myself several times. I think a fifth body is important tho. Picks and midrange shooting could make a four person team difficult to win with. Perhaps if a winning season could be defined as >50% Ws then yes. But as you know <99%Ws for this team would not be seen as a winning season! Good thought tho. What do you think?

 

[Tonyc]

Ok let me ask you what team can compete with UConn? UConn has played a lot of top teams this season but not ND. Do you think ND can compete with UConn THIS Season? Not last season when UConn had 3 freshman and a lot of injuries. This Season. Don't forget ND doesn't have Diggins this season and had her last season. Also don't forget Hartley is healthy and playing like an AA and Mojeff and Breanna (POY) are playing better. I know what your thinking ... what if UConn gets in foul trouble. IMO UConn beats ND just like they've beaten everybody else. Breanna by the time March rolls around will be so good she will be like Lobo said a 6'4 Diana and I will add with a bunch of college AAs surrounding her. This team is a steam roller. If they shoot the ball good or poorly or have an injury or two they still roll over their competition. IF ND makes it to the FF and faces UConn in the finals turn out the lights.

 

[Kibitzer]

I totally agree with you. Notre Dame is by far the team that will give UConn the biggest test. They matchup well at every position with Achonwa and Braker in the post, McBride, Loyd, and Allen in the backcourt and Reimer, Wright, and Mabrey coming off the bench. They go a true 9 deep with solid production from all. If they meet in the NCAA Tournament it will be a game for the ages.

I took the liberty of highlighting the portion of this post that may become the focus of attention should ND and UConn play, possibly for the NC.

I agree with the relative quality of backcourt and bench matchups being competitive but I believe that Stef and Stewie are not only biggger than Achonwa and Braker but they are also better -- at both ends of the court! And ND gets no reprieve when Stokes comes in; Reimer is a good player, to be sure, but our three (Stewie, Stef, Kiah) bring a collective superiority in scoring, defending and rebounding that is potentially the decisive UConn advantage over ND.

 

[Icebear]

ETT, foul trouble and injuries can spell problems especially with a short bench. Yes, we are talented - but a short bench can be trouble - and as to having "Stewart, Hartley, Jefferson and Dolson to pick up the pack", you can't play basketball with only 4 on the floor

You can if you started with 5.

 

[pap49cba]

This could be the year Geno announces, "We have Stewie and you don't". No one matches up with Stewart.

 

[watanabe]

Ok let me ask you what team can compete with UConn? UConn has played a lot of top teams this season but not ND. Do you think ND can compete with UConn THIS Season? Not last season when UConn had 3 freshman and a lot of injuries. This Season. Don't forget ND doesn't have Diggins this season and had her last season. Also don't forget Hartley is healthy and playing like an AA and Mojeff and Breanna (POY) are playing better. I know what your thinking ... what if UConn gets in foul trouble. IMO UConn beats ND just like they've beaten everybody else. Breanna by the time March rolls around will be so good she will be like Lobo said a 6'4 Diana and I will add with a bunch of college AAs surrounding her. This team is a steam roller. If they shoot the ball good or poorly or have an injury or two they still roll over their competition. IF ND makes it to the FF and faces UConn in the finals turn out the lights.

Steam roller for sure. Pap has it right about Stewie, and surround her with the rest the players UConn has, and it's surely a steamroller. It's amazing that this team has been assembled for us to enjoy. Sure gives me a lot of pride about the school. Geno is a master.