Keeping our eye on the prize(s)

[UConn82]

Of course, as we all know, the main prize is for our student-athletes to grow into adulthood before our eyes. And the staff does everything it can to reduce/prevent those dreaded major injuries--the big anti-prize.

With the above in mind, then comes the prize of winning the tournament.

I think we are in pretty good shape for this prize, actually. Late March is a long way away. By then, everyone will certainly be healthy, except maybe Paige. And, thank goodness, her injury is not a soft tissue one--ACL or Achilles--which are so tricky to heal. Bone heals, it is just a matter of time.

We got a very tiny taste of what Azzi can do in that one game. And CD will be very dangerous come late March. And Dorka showed us what she can do. And Nika will be a force. And E is mature beyond her years. She is so clearly the leader.

I think the team is learning a very important lesson without Paige. We showed real grit against UCLA. We could have folded up the proverbial tent. But, we did the opposite.

Even without Paige--if the Gods of Basketball decide she will not play again this year--we will make a deep run come late March. How deep? We shall see. The future is always uncertain.

I am feeling very up right now about our team. I look forward to the challenges ahead. I believe the players believe that too. We shall see.

Thoughts?

 

[vaeman]

I agree. After watching most of the SC v MD game I was thinking both of these program (while solid this season) are certainly beatable...especially by a UConn squad that is firing on all cylinders.

 

[Veteran]

Of course, as we all know, the main prize is for our student-athletes to grow into adulthood before our eyes. And the staff does everything it can to reduce/prevent those dreaded major injuries--the big anti-prize.

With the above in mind, then comes the prize of winning the tournament.

I think we are in pretty good shape for this prize, actually. Late March is a long way away. By then, everyone will certainly be healthy, except maybe Paige. And, thank goodness, her injury is not a soft tissue one--ACL or Achilles--which are so tricky to heal. Bone heals, it is just a matter of time.

We got a very tiny taste of what Azzi can do in that one game. And CD will be very dangerous come late March. And Dorka showed us what she can do. And Nika will be a force. And E is mature beyond her years. She is so clearly the leader.

I think the team is learning a very important lesson without Paige. We showed real grit against UCLA. We could have folded up the proverbial tent. But, we did the opposite.

Even without Paige--if the Gods of Basketball decide she will not play again this year--we will make a deep run come late March. How deep? We shall see. The future is always uncertain.

I am feeling very up right now about our team. I look forward to the challenges ahead. I believe the players believe that too. We shall see.

Thoughts?

Exactly. Well said. I think many of us feel up, too. In this case, what matters most is the forest, not the trees.

In 2012-2013 UConn lost to Notre Dame twice during the regular season and then again in the Big East Tournament. Then they laid a serious beat down on Notre Dame by 18 in the NCAA semi-final before destroying Louisville by 33 in the final. For the Notre Dame rivalry, the NCAA semi-final was the forest. The other games were the trees. And today nobody cares about the trees.

Right now, it looks like there are a lot of trees ahead. But they're all part of the forest. And as we get healthy, the trees will look smaller and smaller. Pretty soon we'll be cranking up the chain saws. And I still believe there's a good chance that Paige will be wielding one of them.