Is It Time to Panic?

[Longtime fan]

If by panic you mean, acknowledge that there are other teams with as good a chance as UConn to win the national championship, I'd say the answer is yes.

If you mean that UConn's out of the running for a natty, nope.

It is difficult to argue at this point that UCONN is really in the running for a NC. True, they aren't out of the running. Few teams are. But they do not compare well, at this moment, to at least 10 other teams ( UCONN is ranked 17th after all ). We can, and will, get much better. But so will everyone, unless they have key injuries and we do not ( good luck with that one ). But if we were to play South Carolina or LSU tomorrow, do you really think we would win? We have a chance, of course, but not a realistic one. There is no need to " panic" because it doesn't;t earn us a thing to do so. But at this moment, UCONN has the slimmest chance of becoming NC in 2024. We all know that.

 

[Longtime fan]

UConn has two challenging games coming up in UNC and Louisville. To me, the UNC game
will be very important for the team's confidence. I believe that if they beat UNC they will beat
Louisville. If they lose to UNC they will lose to Louisville.

Well go put your money on what you think will happen. You may be right and you may be wrong. I do agree, it is key for UCONN to play really well on Sunday. Better than they have so far.

 

[Husky fanatic]

I don’t think panic mode will happen. After this season the harsh reality is that we have an excruciating long wait until next year. .

 

[BBallF]

I hope i'm wrong but the way this team is playing now they may fall out of the top 25 this year.

When you have an All American, and another All Big East player in Aaliyah, if they stay healthy and Ash develops the way she has been, you are at least a top 20 team and I believe a top 10 team by the end of the year. If we get Caroline and Ay back, even better.

 

[BBallF]

Because of the injuries to key players and the reliance on freshmen to put a lineup on the floor, the team is essentially still in pre-season development mode. I don't think you will see the "real" UConn team until January at this point. They are still learning how to play together and the coaches are still figuring out what combinations of players work best for any given opponent. And, there are fundamental shortcoming to the roster based on the available players, with limited resources available for the front court. If the product on the floor is still playing like they played against Texas when we get to January, then it is time to truly be concerned.

Except that Texas is a top 5 team and we have not played well against the top tier teams. However, we crushed Maryland. I am more concerned with playing poorly against the lower tier teams which we should not because of the talent differential. I think the beginning of January may be premature. If this team becomes a contender for a FF or Elte 8 berth it will be because of the "Geno Metamorphosis" that occurs every February. For example, Q has to learn the switching defense and how not to loose her man at the faster pace, with bigger, better players than she saw this time last year. That will come. KK has to learn when not to drive or leave her feet with the ball on a pass. That will come. I think February, not January.

 

[Zonepress]

I wouldn’t say panic, but surrendering to realty is more like it. Of course , losses to both NC and Louisville could push Husky Nation into full throttle panic. Should it? I guess it depends on your expectations for the team. For this group in this set of circumstances, IMO sweet 16 would be a successful season and Elite 8 would be an overachievement. A FF would be Geno’s greatest coaching accomplishment and would propel this team among the all time greats, given the circumstances.

While the numerous injuries have weakened the team considerably I think most teams who had a national player of the year a3rd team all American returning 2 four year
Contributing players and 4 talented freshman
Would not consider an elite 8 and overachievment
Keep hearing the problem is a lack of size
To that I would point out that the turnovers agsinst
Texas we’re as much a reason for the loss as rebounding
lack of size should cut both ways sure a guard should have trouble defending inside and rebounding but should be a mismatch for a big player trying to guard the smaller player in space

Imho the team is only playing well in spurts
And generally. Inconsistent including the seniors
Paige seems to be stronger and better physically
Than ever but has not dominated as she did in
The past. Seems to be a combination of strategy,
The teams inability to get her the ball or her reluctance to demand the ball
The team is not playing right now like a final four contendor let alone national championship team
And imho not playing to the level of their talent
My take is that the team and not just the freshman
Make way too many mental errors
Will make no predictions on how the season
Will go other than to say the talent is there
For big improvement

UConn women’s basketball fans have been a custom to not only a great level of talent but talent that played an extraordinary high-level that was probably unrealistic
There are 10-15 teams imho with talent as good or better than Uconn
We’re now where it will take the a game to beat
Good teams and making a final four would be a great accomplishment
Have enjoyed this season, immensely just having paige back on the court and watching the freshman

Someone said that GA “did the most with the most”
Will see if he can do the most without the most

 

[Brown Eyed]

Yes, it is time to panic this year and next year

 

[MilfordHusky]

I’m not in a panic, but I have lowered my expectations. I’d like to see us stay in the rankings and keep our losses to single digits. Winning the BE and tournament are definitely possible, though the margin for error is small. I’m not sure about the NCAA tourney, but getting a top 16 seed to play in Storrs and placement in Albany will help. We have 10 players and lots of opportunity. The frosh and Ice need to find a fast track. Go Huskies!

 

[Zonepress]

Lots of good points! The one that confuses me is about talent. First you note the high level of talent UConn has (NpoY, AA, two 4 year vets and 4 promising freshmen). Then later you state 10-15 teams have same or better talent than UConn! Which is it? I sure can’t name 10-15 teams that have equal or better talent than UConn. Can you enlighten me?

I think having top 10-15 talent on the country
Is “good talent”
I can name 10-15 teams imho

Stanford ucla Texas lsu nc state so Carolina ohio
State Notre dame Fla state Indiana have equal of better talent
Maybe usc and
Iowa with the best player in wbb

Then utah Colorado and Va Tech who not as talented but very well coached

Point of my post is that UConn is in a different
Spot than in the past not the favorite

Look at it this way Creighton got to the elite8
Two years ago with way less talent by being
Extremely well coached and playing very well

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

I think I'll treat each game as UCONN's SEASON!
Just go game by game and see where they wind up!
Not looking down the road.
Play the regular season Big East, play the BE Tournament, try to qualify to get into the NCAA Tournament, and how far they can go will be step by step, never looking ahead!
They still have some great pieces of the puzzle to play with, it will depend on how long it takes for Geno and his great staff to figure out plans of attack that they and the players can have confidence in!
Either way I'll look at the end result and be proud at what they were able to accomplish!

 

[huskeynut]

One day at a time, one game at a time. That's the way I see it.

The team is adjusting to the new reality. It will come but probably in spurts for a while.

Sunday, do they beat NC? I say yes. It won't be pretty and at times may be ugly. Louisville, I say we win. Again, not pretty but who cares at this point.

We win we will climb in the polls.

 

[oldhusky]

I wonder if the team has potentially difficult decisions coming up related to Caroline and Ayanna. It is still early, but there is some chance that either player may miss most of the season, but be able to return late in the season and help some but still not be all the way back.

So if they could return with a few games left, should they? Right now if they don't return they can extend their eligibility with a redshirt year. I don't remember for sure the cutoff, someone can help me with that, but I thought it was somewhere around 6 games.

In both cases there could be long term concerns. Both could recover and be fine somewhere down the road, or their issues could be close to career ending. I say that with Ayanna just because whatever they did do doesn't seem to be working, and I believe Geno once made a comparison to Morgan Tuck's knee issues.

With near and long term uncertainty that complicates the situation even more. If I thought Caroline and Ayanna had a good chance to return to what we hoped and expected for them, I might value redshirting and having them available for a full productive year vs. providing a little help for a few games at less than full strength this year. On the other hand those few games at the end might be the most important games of the season, so it could be a tough decision.

I hope for the best for Caroline and Ayanna and this hypothetical scenario certainly may not develop, but if it did I think it would be a tough decision to make.

 

[BobbyJ]

I wonder if the team has potentially difficult decisions coming up related to Caroline and Ayanna. It is still early, but there is some chance that either player may miss most of the season, but be able to return late in the season and help some but still not be all the way back.

So if they could return with a few games left, should they? Right now if they don't return they can extend their eligibility with a redshirt year. I don't remember for sure the cutoff, someone can help me with that, but I thought it was somewhere around 6 games.

In both cases there could be long term concerns. Both could recover and be fine somewhere down the road, or their issues could be close to career ending. I say that with Ayanna just because whatever they did do doesn't seem to be working, and I believe Geno once made a comparison to Morgan Tuck's knee issues.

With near and long term uncertainty that complicates the situation even more. If I thought Caroline and Ayanna had a good chance to return to what we hoped and expected for them, I might value redshirting and having them available for a full productive year vs. providing a little help for a few games at less than full strength this year. On the other hand those few games at the end might be the most important games of the season, so it could be a tough decision.

I hope for the best for Caroline and Ayanna and this hypothetical scenario certainly may not develop, but if it did I think it would be a tough decision to make.

https://www.2adays.com/blog/how-does-the-ncaa-medical-redshirt-work/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20NCAA%20rules,30%25%20of%20the%20season's%20games

 

[BigKahuna]

Panic is in order if Paige only takes 7 shots like she did versus Ball State while Caitlin Clarke heaved up 12~31 against Iowa State on the same night. Time for our star to step up.

 

[kidfrom360]

In all seriousness… at what point do we really start incorporating both Amari and Ines into the rotation with meaningful minutes. Like why not at this point? What is Geno trying to prove by not doing so?

 

[Florida Fan]

I think you have posted exactly what some of us (well, me) have been wanting to post.
I think she is one of UConn's greatest players, unfortunately only off the court. She seems to be having a good time when sitting on the bench.

She has become a "project" and may always have been one, but miracles could happen. If a fire could be lit, and one of the coaches took it upon herself to fan the flames and every day is catching and shooting drills and and bouncing off a large practice player. Amari has added another inch, so let's maximize her potential. At this point, nothin' to lose. We've got the coaching personnel. Whoever takes it on and succeeds is due a big raise.

 

[Centerstream]

He's proving to be the head coach of the team. Obviously at this point, Amari has yet to prove that she can consistently contribute. This is her 3rd season and has yet to prove her capabilities in practice. So why should she be treated differently from her teammates that are proving their capabilities in practice?

In all seriousness.

In all seriousness… at what point do we really start incorporating both Amari and Ines into the rotation with meaningful minutes. Like why not at this point? What is Geno trying to prove by not doing so?

 

[Bone Dog]

In all seriousness… at what point do we really start incorporating both Amari and Ines into the rotation with meaningful minutes. Like why not at this point? What is Geno trying to prove by not doing so?

I’ve been rooting for Amari to succeed since Day 1. So it’s not like I don’t share some of this sentiment. But one reason why — and we all know this — is about morale and discipline. If Geno plays someone who doesn’t work well in practice, he might worry that it will impact the morale of the rest of the team who work really hard in practice. He may well be estimating that the impact on morale is likely to be greater than whatever advantage is gained by playing her.

My take here is to reason backwards from the fact that he won’t play her to the likely cause, that she’s not working hard in practice. I don’t think we have anything else to go on.

 

[Bald Husky]

Okay, let's face the facts that we have right now. First of all, Geno should forget about Caroline as a key player this year, and deal with this problem as if she will NOT return this year. If she does, that would be great, and she could come off the bench to spell the starters and hopefully give us some instant offence. Next Yanna. Wow, this one we can't forget, because we really need her going forward. She can provide us with rebounding, and, maybe some offense, but when is she coming back?
As far as the starters, Ashlynn obviously should be in there. She has shown that she can make a 3, really good at the midrange, pretty good defensively, and is not afraid to mix it up with the other team. Ice or Aubrey would be in there as well, with Nika and Aaliyah. Geno has to settle for a starting lineup, cause if he continues to change it every game than he will never get the relief rotations right. North Carolina is huge if we can win, and if we do, Louisville should be a cakewalk. He knows who is available, so he has to work with who is ready to go and don't worry about the others. Settle with the current players, especially the freshmen, as they cannot sit on the bench if he wants to succeed this year. It definitely is not what he has done before in his coaching career, but the times are changing, don't worry about age, just put in the best players possible and let's see how far we can go.

 

[Jmsdawg]

I have always felt that Paige was the key to UConn making a NC run. I think from what I have seen so fat this season Paige ihas recovered from her injuries both mentally and physically but she is not the same player we saw her freshman year, that player was supremely confident and loved the game. I think Paige feels the weight of the UConn legacy and is trying so hard it is affecting her play. I want to see those pin point passes, that nobody can guard me attitude, and finally that joy just from playing the game. Hopefully freshman Paige returns and I can once again marvel at her game!

 

[Rb335]

In all seriousness… at what point do we really start incorporating both Amari and Ines into the rotation with meaningful minutes. Like why not at this point? What is Geno trying to prove by not doing so?

We only have a handful of out of conference games left before the start of big east play. I don’t expect to see them play much if at all against UNC and Louisville.

Then we have 18 big east games out of our next 20 games. 14 of those 18 games are against unranked opponents. I’d venture to guess we’ll see more of Amari and Ines, especially in the 4th quarter of those games. Rest for our starters will be important and those players largest role may be to provide that rest during big east play.

 

[kidfrom360]

He's proving to be the head coach of the team. Obviously at this point, Amari has yet to prove that she can consistently contribute. This is her 3rd season and has yet to prove her capabilities in practice. So why should she be treated differently from her teammates that are proving their capabilities in practice?

In all seriousness.

Was that your so called “mic drop”? lol

 

[Longtime fan]

It is a lot closer to a " time to panic" than it was yesterday. We now have learned that Patterson is likely done for the year ( another, more complicated surgery ), and that Caroline " may be out for a long time." So we now have eight who can play ( assuming that Inez is too far buried on the depth chart, and that DeBerry is just used in the last minute or so ). Even Geno has said, " we have four seniors and four freshman, so a freshman will start every game." It is early December. We are now going to play injury free? Just as a note to that ; Paige is on the floor about 6-8 times per game, minimum. And Edwards is not that far behind. It is time to panic.

 

[Cuango]

In all seriousness… at what point do we really start incorporating both Amari and Ines into the rotation with meaningful minutes. Like why not at this point? What is Geno trying to prove by not doing so?

The four freshmen (and the upperclassmen as well) need all the minutes possible because they are actually here to play and get better!
Perhaps, if we were healthy and blowing teams out by 40 points like we did in the old days, there could be some justification for continuing to give her (Amari) minutes but that is not our present reality. Our four freshmen, in particular, need every possible minute to maximize their improvement between now and March!
Now, if by some chance she (Amari) suddenly began showing improvement in practice then that whole dynamic could/would change and there would suddenly be five players who needed (and got) those minutes!
Does anyone believe for a second that Geno wouldn’t give his right arm for even a moderately effective 6’6” post player? There is only one reason he would not play her! Clearly that is because she either will not or cannot do the things he needs her to do!

 

[uconnfan68]

AD absolutely wants to contribute, but her game never got to the level of speed and guile needed to play high D1 basketball.

 

[kidfrom360]

This is unbelievable! Amari either cannot play or she’s just not interested in playing! She has been here 2 1/3 seasons now and cannot even boast an approving comment from her coach! It is abundantly clear that she is simply either incapable or unwilling to do the things that would get her on the floor for any meaningful minutes! Not trying to be mean or cruel, but she has clearly demonstrated, at this point, that she is a likable, very intelligent, cheerleader/teammate who simply does not have the wherewithal, for whatever reason, to contribute meaningfully as a player!
The four freshmen (and the upperclassmen as well) need all the minutes possible because they are actually here to play and get better!
Perhaps, if we were healthy and blowing teams out by 40 points like we did in the old days, there could be some justification for continuing to give her (Amari) minutes but that is not our present reality. Our four freshmen, in particular, need every possible minute to maximize their improvement between now and March!
Now, if by some chance she (Amari) suddenly began showing improvement in practice then that whole dynamic could/would change and there would suddenly be five players who needed (and got) those minutes!
Does anyone believe for a second that Geno wouldn’t give his right arm for even a moderately effective 6’6” post player? There is only one reason he would not play her! Clearly that is because she either will not or cannot do the things he needs her to do!

I thought she did good vs Kansas. She was actually a difference maker in some cases on Letts. He had no problem playing her then.

 

[Longtime fan]

This is unbelievable! Amari either cannot play or she’s just not interested in playing! She has been here 2 1/3 seasons now and cannot even boast an approving comment from her coach! It is abundantly clear that she is simply either incapable or unwilling to do the things that would get her on the floor for any meaningful minutes! Not trying to be mean or cruel, but she has clearly demonstrated, at this point, that she is a likable, very intelligent, cheerleader/teammate who simply does not have the wherewithal, for whatever reason, to contribute meaningfully as a player!
The four freshmen (and the upperclassmen as well) need all the minutes possible because they are actually here to play and get better!
Perhaps, if we were healthy and blowing teams out by 40 points like we did in the old days, there could be some justification for continuing to give her (Amari) minutes but that is not our present reality. Our four freshmen, in particular, need every possible minute to maximize their improvement between now and March!
Now, if by some chance she (Amari) suddenly began showing improvement in practice then that whole dynamic could/would change and there would suddenly be five players who needed (and got) those minutes!
Does anyone believe for a second that Geno wouldn’t give his right arm for even a moderately effective 6’6” post player? There is only one reason he would not play her! Clearly that is because she either will not or cannot do the things he needs her to do!

I think we all know the answer here. We have seen her play. So have the coaches. It is not attitude or work ethic.