Its hard to Believe

[Tonyc]

I believe if we stay healthy and play up to our caliber, we will win this years National Championship. I will give one reason. We have turned what looked like Failure this season into Success. When you look at what we've gone through this season as a team and as individuals and now come back to where we have a chance...well thats something special. Im not sure many other teams couldve withstood what happened to UConn this season. Things didnt go the way we thought this season and I think we are better because of what we had to go through. We learned alot about ourselves with what we've had to go through. There were times we were disappointed and there were times we were surprised. There were times we wondered if this team could make the NCAAs and there were times we wondered if we could make the FF. There were times this season when some games seened like disasters and then we would turn around and win. Many of our long time records were broken and we held it together and continued inspite of it. This team believed in themselves and I think they knew that when they got heathy they would be great again.

Imo this has been one of the greatest storys in sports. To lose so much and fight through it. To have to withstand all the injuries and still find a way to win. To be able to doubt yourself and still find a way to pioneer through the season no matter what life threw at you and alot was thrown at this team when they least expected it and they continued to perceiver and found a way. This team has earned everything this season. Now with everybody back, and they seem to be healthy and ready for what the next round will give them. I feel they will show everybody once again that they are UConn Basketball and no they are not dead they are very much alive and ready for what ever life throws at them, however this time because of what they've gone through they have a little bit more to prove and I believe we will see they same team we saw in the BET. Looking back its really hard to believe with all thats happened here we are again.

 

[CB360]

I was thinking and feeling the same way when I saw an earlier thread about % chance of winning. I believe UConn was raked 4 at maybe 35% and I immediately thought a Minimum of 50%!!!

 

[CTtoSanDiego]

so many "we's" and "ours" in the first paragraph that I thought you might be talking about the Boneyard...
But then you switched to "they" near the end so I knew it was about the team.... lol

 

[Tonyc]

You must be new to the BY. I have never doubted one year that UConn would win a NC. My prediction a few years back went viral when I predicted that with Maya Caroline Doty and EDD would come to UConn and UConn would go 195-0. I never doubt UConn. Geno is the greatest coach ever. To be able to continue to do what he's done year in and year out for so many years and many times he is beating his best. I was talking and directing my comments in my post to those who dont believe and doubted the team when they were hurt.

 

[hard2please]

tonyc for president !

 

[msf22b]

Tony
I would really, really, like to see it happen
And its far from impossible, even somewhat likely,
if things break our way....

Caroline has to continue to gain strength
Azzi must bring her game close to early season form
Aubrey's back has to be better
The big's must deliver
I don't worry about Lou if she's rested...

Lots of variables there and remember there are 6 determined teams standing in front of us...with their own strengths (and weaknesses).

I just don't want folks to be terribly disappointed if it comes a cropper at some point...There are no guarantees.

It's been an amazing season, upon and downs, bangs and bruises, horrible season ending injuries.
Geno's annus horribilis (a significant, hardly discussed aspect of the team's performance)

And through its all, they prevailed...up 'till now
With the big test coming up. It's final exam time.

I suppose, I hope (fervently)...but with my optimism a bit tempered...(by reality?) I don't know.

 

[Woof 101]

I believe if we stay healthy and play up to our caliber, we will win this years National Championship. I will give one reason.

@Tonyc Gotta say you are at the top of your game. This with stating one reason and then providing around sixteen.

Not sure how you might have thought they would not make the tournament.

Love your fanatic attitude, obviously this is your passion. Wish I had the time and ability to type as much as you do!

 

[itsasport]

Any team that can score a lot of points- especially 3's, has a good defense and a decent rotation can, obviously. win a national championship, There is every reason to believe that Caroline and Azzi will add all three of those elements to the fabulous five.

 

[Tonyc]

I never ment to imply I me would ever think UConn would not make the FF. That I’ve never done. UConn imo is the most balanced team and most talented team in the NCAA this season

 

[Skeets]

@Tonyc Gotta say you are at the top of your game. This with stating one reason and then providing around sixteen.

Not sure how you might have thought they would not make the tournament.

Love your fanatic attitude, obviously this is your passion. Wish I had the time and ability to type as much as you do!

And thankfully Nan convinced Tony to at least make an attempt to create a paragraph or 2.

 

[veryolddog]

I started to laugh after the first sentence. It is the ole Tony C. Win it all.

I am old and it really is day to day. I would like to see them win the first game, and then get to the next. After that, it is all bonus for me. I hope that your dream comes true. That actually would be wonderful except the elephant called South Carolina is in the way. But, it is possible that they can lose somewhere along the way which gives every other team hope to win the National Championship and give more probability to what yo are saying.

 

[jabstep]

I agree with Tony whole heartly. We are in the top three for a bigs duo in WCBB. We create matchup problems with every team we play. Even SC when the game started Saxon had no answer for Edwards. Only when they brought in Cardosa and Amihere did that change.
If Azzi is healthy with Lou we have two of the beat 3 point shooter's in the country. No one can matchup with us in that department. We are also one of the best defensive teams in the country. Teams that dont back in a hurry get burned by our fast breaks.
Our rotation is solid with Caroline and Azzi back.
Bring them on and lets knock them down!!! Go Huskies

 

[DennieEddy]

WE'LL probably know more in early April if WE can stay healthy enough to go all the way; myself, my left knee has been acting up, and I hope coach just relegates me to running up and down the bench slapping hands when baskets are made.

 

[Eweconn]

I doubt he meant it as you took it. He was just making a point about the highs and lows of the season. I post very little on this board but I've read it religiously for many, many, MANY years. TonyC is the ultimate optimist. Anyone who follows this board knows that. I don't want to speak for him, but I seriously doubt he's ever considered not making the tournament this year. One of the reasons I don't post a lot is because there's always someone that jumps down your throat for the most inane reason. Not everything should be taken literally. If I told you it's hot as H*LL outside, would call me out because I've never been there? (although there's a strong possibility I will at some point).

 

[Rowdy831]

This years team to me is better than last years team. Liv was the post but didn't have the strength to defend Boston and outside of Paige they didn't have a reliable scorer on the court. This year Azzi has come into her own, Lou has been a very reliable shooter and AE has turned into one of the best post players in the country. The ace in the hole for me is Nika's leadership and defense.

 

[Bone Dog]

This years team to me is better than last years team. Liv was the post but didn't have the strength to defend Boston and outside of Paige they didn't have a reliable scorer on the court. This year Azzi has come into her own, Lou has been a very reliable shooter and AE has turned into one of the best post players in the country. The ace in the hole for me is Nika's leadership and defense.

I go back and forth on this one. Are we better than the team that entered the tournament with Dorka healthy?

I'm not sure. Paige was back, held together with duct tape and baling wire, but with that indomitable will to win. Azzi was beginning to feel her talents, but also with some residual self-doubt. Caroline was still a bit gimpy from her hip. Aaliyah had just begun to find herself after a swoon that included a ton of missed layups. Christyn was her usual self -- an awesome ball handler and finisher, but also a streaky shooter. Liv was her usual self, an awesome defender and high-post passer, an uneven scorer but utterly reliable. Dorka was just beginning to find her place on the team, next to Liv and Aaliyah. She'd stepped up in the last few weeks of the season and thrown herself at each victory with energy and enthusiasm, the way she does every game now. And Evina -- I can never forget her, always in the background, ready to make a decisive play, a steal and runout, or three perimeter daggers in a row against Stanford, the emotional foundation of the team, the one who'd steady the team right after Paige went down.

That team had heart, and a lot of emotional baggage. Fortunately, most of that baggage was full of the will to win. They thumped Indiana, defying all the pundits who said they'd lose to the newcomers. They gutted out an incredible win against NC St, one which the Wolfpack may not have recovered from even now. And they dominated Stanford -- some last minute jitters let Stanford back into the game, but it wasn't really that close. Two images from the closing minutes of that game: 1) Geno yelling for a timeout that the refs didn't hear, then saying "Never mind" when Evina found Aaliyah for a breakaway layup a second later, 2) Azzi sinking free throws in the closing seconds, cool as a cucumber, who else would you want at the line in such a situation?

Today's team is better in a few respects. A healthy Dorka, and a resurgent Aaliyah, both peaking at the right moment. An indomitable shooter and much improved defender in Lou. Aubrey -- wow did we miss her last year! For all her flaws as a ball handler, she is such an awesome defender, rebounder, slasher, and finisher on the break. She does magic on the court. Remember those two steals she took the length of the court against NC St in a row? If anything showed them they weren't ready for primetime against the huskies, it was that moment. And, of course, Nika, the mighty mite who aimed our firepower at whoever was unlucky enough to get in her crosshairs. Our powder got a little damp late in the season, but it seems to be dry again just in time. And Ayanna, not yet fully ready to exert all her powers, but still a fierce rebounder and defender when needed. And of course, the return of Azzi and Caroline is full of the promise of greatness. Neither one has shown that greatness quite yet, but if they do over the next few games, look out!

So, yes, we may be even better than last year's team, even without Paige, if.... Azzi and Caroline are ready to light it up with Lou. But I still admire the trio we lost last season, Christyn and Liv, and most of all Evina.