Nothing like a snappy title to get people interested. In message #70 of St. John’s post game thread, BBallF aptly summarized the team’s troubles this season and I thought he wrote that this is not our year, a sentiment that I have sadly come to share. On a closer reading of the text, however, such a view was not expressed. Still, my incorrect reading of BBallF’s statement crystalized my own views on this season and let me state the reasons for this opinion.
First, the team has suffered a series of injuries unprecedented since 2000-01, those of Bueckers, Azzi, and Griffin being the most significant. The general consensus is that the team will be really good once the walking wounded return, but will the injured players return and how effective will their play be? I keep wondering about Fudd. She played several games before being shut down and the likelihood is that she was not at 100% from the beginning of the season. She has been out much longer than anticipated. Assuming she returns this season, will she be healthy enough to be the player that we all anticipated? Will she demonstrate the ability to get open to shoot and can she play defense? We can perhaps see within the next couple of weeks. As for Paige, with luck she will be able to play a few games before the Big East Tournament. Yet what can we expect? Will either be close to 100% this season and, if so, will that be enough for a championship run? I am not sure for reasons 2 and 3 below.
Second, Edwards has not been the player she was last season, probably the result of the Canadian Olympic team experience. She seems slower and lacks confidence. Unless she regains her mojo, I don’t think the team has a prayer of making the Final Four.
Third, let’s not forget that Aubrey Griffin has been out for the entire season and what a crucial part of the team’s equation she has been for the past two years. She is a fierce defender and excellent rebounder and has been sorely missed.
Fourth, the team has lost four players from last year’s team - Makurat, Chassion, Poffenbarger, and McLean. Makurat played major minutes in every game until her mid-season injury, McLean had some good minutes last season, and given the injuries Poffenbarger and Chassion would probably have seen playing time by now. All, however, have left the program, an unprecedented number in the program’s history, and two after the season started.
On the plus side, however, has been the remarkable play of Caroline Ducharme, a multi-talented athlete with the ability to get open and make shots, and the improved game of Dorka Juhasz.
No one is throwing in the towel, certainly not Geno, the staff, and the players and it is probably a good thing that the South Carolina game has been cancelled, so we must try to be optimistic. The glass may be half empty but it is not empty yet and we can hope for the return Williams soon and of Fudd and Bueckers later down the line. Then we shall see.
