Looking at this season

[BroadwayVa]

I've said it before and will repeat it here again, even though ND has the most talent I don't think they'll win the NC!
Their championship team had 6 players that knew they had to play over 90% of the game and each knew their jobs.
Now you throw in 5 injured players back in the mix and incoming freshmen and there isn't enough BB's to go around!
Last season was a perfect storm! Everything broke right at the end of the season for ND to finish 1st!
Everybody's jobs and assignments have changed! In the post-season tournaments they won't have "the LUCK OF THE IRISH" this go round!

I have to agree --through the last 1/4th or `/`6th of the season Uconn starting five were nearly all walking wounded. Katie Lou was damaged and refused to sit--that has to take a toll at the end of the season. Danger with shin splints and in pain played way too many games out of necessity, that has to wear on the body and soul. Napheesa would only tell the her sister if she were as bad off as those 2 and she had to be feeling the many many minutes she was forced to play. The sixth person, ok the 7th person, was Megan and she was about half of the true megan walker. Azura is a scoring machine when Geno needed a post. Not one word against Z shall I enter here--she gave all she knew how to I couldn[t ask for more.

Notre Dame has the mystique of the Irish and the luck you can achieve with the help of refs.
The game, as the previous years game was lost in the very last second of play. They won and fairly won. I could moan and groan about the transfer players--the process may be tainted y the players played the game..

 

[kenja]

Do we have a ton of size? No but we do have a lot of length. When you mention ND, Louisville, Baylor. Do you take Pheesa, Crystal Dangerfield & Lou in their 3 individual matchups? I would say absolutely!

ND...
Mabrey vs Crystal Dangerfield
Arike vs CW
Young vs Lou
Shepard vs Pheesa
Turner vs Walker

You can switch Walker & Pheesa depending on what u think the matchup will be but Pheesa wins both of those matchups.

Baylor has Cox & Brown. Brown can’t stay with Pheesa what so ever so I believe that matchup is her and Cox. Advantage Pheesa. But Kelani would win her matchup as we would be forced to double. Our 3 guards are heavy favorites so that’s 4/5 matchups.

Louisville, you only give Durr the nod. So again, 4/5.

Call me crazy but I like where how our team matches up. Lou, Pheesa & Crystal Dangerfield are as a good a combo as you will find. We just need either Megan or CW to really step up. I think both will have their games and take turns.

Add grittyness & hustle off the bench from ONO, Touly, Kyla, Coombs, Lexi etc. our team is well equipped for #12.

You seriously believe that Collier AND MW are better than Sheppard? I'm not sure that Collier is a match inside for Sheppard much less Megan. The best bet against Turner and Sheppard, IMO, is to make Sheppard have to come out and guard the perimeter. She struggled vs. Villanova in that respect. Allow those two to play in tandem and their guards will get many open shots.

 

[GoUconn7961]

All I can say is this.... I am so ready for the season to start for both the women AND the men! I honestly can't wait!!
LET'S GO!!!

 

[msf22b]

I've said it before and will repeat it here again, even though ND has the most talent I don't think they'll win the NC!
Their championship team had 6 players that knew they had to play over 90% of the game and each knew their jobs.
Now you throw in 5 injured players back in the mix and incoming freshmen and there isn't enough BB's to go around!
Last season was a perfect storm! Everything broke right at the end of the season for ND to finish 1st!
Everybody's jobs and assignments have changed! In the post-season tournaments they won't have "the LUCK OF THE IRISH" this go round!

Interesting!
Could even be right.

 

[Charliebball]

I have to agree --through the last 1/4th or `/`6th of the season Uconn starting five were nearly all walking wounded. Katie Lou was damaged and refused to sit--that has to take a toll at the end of the season. Danger with shin splints and in pain played way too many games out of necessity, that has to wear on the body and soul. Napheesa would only tell the her sister if she were as bad off as those 2 and she had to be feeling the many many minutes she was forced to play. .

and that's precisely why I so often complained about Geno playing his starters into the fourth quarter with 25-35 point leads..........he may have stuck to his philosophy of earning playing time but it's possible it cost his team a better chance at a championship in the meantime.........

 

[Sam.the.Man]

Sorry, I love UCONN WBB, but we don't stand a chance at getting out of the ND game with less than a 20 point deficit depending upon how charitable Muffet is. They're a shoo-in for the NC and loaded from top to bottom. I suspect they will go undefeated easily.

As good as KLS and Pheesa have been, this team has way too many question marks. Crystal Dangerfield has shown some brilliance at times, but they are few and far between. CW could be good, but she could also be a disruptive force to team unity. Walker has shown little to date. Ono's effectiveness cannot be measured at this point. The rest of the bench will be much the same as it's been the past two seasons ... average at best.

I hope to be proven wrong.

 

[oldude]

Sorry, I love UCONN WBB, but we don't stand a chance at getting out of the ND game with less than a 20 point deficit depending upon how charitable Muffet is. They're a shoo-in for the NC and loaded from top to bottom. I suspect they will go undefeated easily.

As good as KLS and Pheesa have been, this team has way too many question marks. Crystal Dangerfield has shown some brilliance at times, but they are few and far between. CW could be good, but she could also be a disruptive force to team unity. Walker has shown little to date. Ono's effectiveness cannot be measured at this point. The rest of the bench will be much the same as it's been the past two seasons ... average at best.

I hope to be proven wrong.

I sure hope your tongue was firmly planted in your cheek when you saw fit to produce this post. Much of what you have written is either trolling or just plain wrong, belied by UConn WBB’s history over the 30+ years that Geno & CD have been running the show.

I’m too lazy to look up the last time UConn lost by 20+ pts to anyone, but I seriously doubt it’s happened in the past decade.

 

[veryolddog]

You know what, UConn women provide excellent Sports Entertainment no matter whom they place on the floor. I recollect, not too long ago, when Diana Taurasi, and four other young people won the National Championship two years in a row. It seems to me that Geno has the nucleus of some very good players who provide great competition to the other leading teams. Just as in the past, a few losses did not stymie the resolve of those players along with Diana Taurasi to put out their best and play competitively. That is what makes UConn, UConn.

 

[meyers7]

Sorry, I love UCONN WBB, but we don't stand a chance at getting out of the ND game with less than a 20 point deficit depending upon how charitable Muffet is. They're a shoo-in for the NC and loaded from top to bottom. I suspect they will go undefeated easily.

As good as KLS and Pheesa have been, this team has way too many question marks. Crystal Dangerfield has shown some brilliance at times, but they are few and far between. CW could be good, but she could also be a disruptive force to team unity. Walker has shown little to date. Ono's effectiveness cannot be measured at this point. The rest of the bench will be much the same as it's been the past two seasons ... average at best.

I hope to be proven wrong.

I imagine you will be.

 

[BostonCanuck]

A transition game needs defense and rebounds to trigger it. It's yet to be seen how good UConn will be at either.

I kind of agree with this sentiment. The season could go one of two ways: Three to five losses and an exit in the Elite Eight. Or maybe just one loss in South Bend and ultimately a national championship. Neither would really surprise at this point. The one thing I would not expect, though, is another Final Four semi-final loss. If they make it to Tampa Bay in April, I'd hazard a bet that they're going to win it all!

 

[hoopsfan22]

Has there ever been a team with three #1 recruits, from three consecutive classes (2015-17), in its starting line up that was considered an underdog?

 

[oldude]

Has there ever been a team with three #1 recruits, from three consecutive classes (2015-17), in its starting line up that was considered an underdog?

No, including this team. The 3 # 1's on this team and their respective HS classes are Lou (2015), Megan (2017) & Christyn (2018). Crystal messed everything up when she was only #2 in the Class of 2016.

 

[donalddoowop]

I wonder why some people believe that the reserves have not improved at all. It would be more of a surprise to me if the reserves are no better at the start of this season than they were at the end of last season. If not, that would mean they have not been working on their game at all over the Summer. I believe some of them have too much talent to not have improved at all, and that includes Bent and Irwin. Just how much improvement remains to be seen, but I believe some improvement will be seen. They were playing pretty well at the end of the regular season.

 

[hoopsfan22]

No, including this team. The 3 # 1's on this team and their respective HS classes are Lou (2015), Megan (2017) & Christyn (2018). Crystal messed everything up when she was only #2 in the Class of 2016.

Thanks. I was thinking I had someone wrong there.
So UConn only has 3 of the last 4 #1s on the team, plus a #2, #6 (Collier), and whatever ONO was ranked.

 

[Charliebball]

As good as KLS and Pheesa have been, this team has way too many question marks. Crystal Dangerfield has shown some brilliance at times, but they are few and far between. CW could be good, but she could also be a disruptive force to team unity. Walker has shown little to date. Ono's effectiveness cannot be measured at this point. The rest of the bench will be much the same as it's been the past two seasons ... average at best.

I hope to be proven wrong.

exactly how is CW going to be a disruptive influence? Everything we know about her tells us that she is a great teammate and a really confident and positive personality

 

[meyers7]

I kind of agree with this sentiment. The season could go one of two ways: Three to five losses and an exit in the Elite Eight. Or maybe just one loss in South Bend and ultimately a national championship. Neither would really surprise at this point. The one thing I would not expect, though, is another Final Four semi-final loss. If they make it to Tampa Bay in April, I'd hazard a bet that they're going to win it all!

If we stay healthy, an Elite Eight exit would surprise me. With the triumphrat of Samuelson/Collier/Dangerfield and Geno coaching, I think we should be able to get to the FF. I don't think we've ever NOT made the FF with that kind of firepower.

 

[Bama fan]

Sorry, I love UCONN WBB, but we don't stand a chance at getting out of the ND game with less than a 20 point deficit depending upon how charitable Muffet is. They're a shoo-in for the NC and loaded from top to bottom. I suspect they will go undefeated easily.

As good as KLS and Pheesa have been, this team has way too many question marks. Crystal Dangerfield has shown some brilliance at times, but they are few and far between. CW could be good, but she could also be a disruptive force to team unity. Walker has shown little to date. Ono's effectiveness cannot be measured at this point. The rest of the bench will be much the same as it's been the past two seasons ... average at best.

I hope to be proven wrong.

What evidence do you have that could lead you to state that Cw could be a disruptive force to team unity? Anything? Anything at all? She could grow cauliflowers out of her ears too, but it is not bloody likely!

 

[j66kicker]

As good as KLS and Pheesa have been, this team has way too many question marks. Crystal Dangerfield has shown some brilliance at times, but they are few and far between. CW could be good, but she could also be a disruptive force to team unity. Walker has shown little to date. Ono's effectiveness cannot be measured at this point. The rest of the bench will be much the same as it's been the past two seasons ... average at best.

I hope to be proven wrong.

CW will be a disruptive influence -- on the OPPONENTS!!

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

If this UCONN WBB team can stay away from injuries and/or sickness they are too athletic and have the best coaching staff in WCBB to not make the FF!
ND has to prove that they can put 2 great years together, back-to-back! They never have so far!
UCONN has the experience of being there, done that so they have figured out how to have great success year after year after year! No other college team has that on their side of the ledger!
Bet the ranch on UCONN having a great season!

 

[TitleTown]

Sorry, I love UCONN WBB, but we don't stand a chance at getting out of the ND game with less than a 20 point deficit depending upon how charitable Muffet is. They're a shoo-in for the NC and loaded from top to bottom. I suspect they will go undefeated easily.

As good as KLS and Pheesa have been, this team has way too many question marks. Crystal Dangerfield has shown some brilliance at times, but they are few and far between. CW could be good, but she could also be a disruptive force to team unity. Walker has shown little to date. Ono's effectiveness cannot be measured at this point. The rest of the bench will be much the same as it's been the past two seasons ... average at best.

I hope to be proven wrong.

ND will win the game, but there is NO chance that UConn loses by more than 10 points!

 

[oldude]

ND will win the game, but there is NO chance that UConn loses by more than 10 points!

ND should win the game, but I certainly would not be surprised if Geno and his team figure out a way to ambush the Irish in South Bend.

 

[TitleTown]

ND should win the game, but I certainly would not be surprised if Geno and his team figure out a way to ambush the Irish in South Bend.

The only reason I am picking ND here is because of how early in the season the game is. If these teams end up meeting again in the NCAA tournament, after UConn has had a full season of development, it is anyones game!

 

[oldude]

The only reason I am picking ND here is because of how early in the season the game is. If these teams end up meeting again in the NCAA tournament, after UConn has had a full season of development, it is anyones game!

I absolutely agree with that logic. But I’m holding out hope that something happens, like the Baylor game 2 years ago, when an unproven freshman lit up the powerful Lady Bears for 19 pts as UConn stunned the team from Waco. So this year, Christyn can introduce herself to the country on national tv by going off for 30+ vs the Irish.

 

[msf22b]

I believe our 2018/19 Husky's will be a fine team; quick, high scoring, improving D, inventive, innovative.

But (on the flip side) surely a finesse team, hardly a banger in sight.

Teams like ND, Mississippi St. and Baylor certainly have the muscle to give us fits and even (on any given day) be decisively better.

Can Geno devise a system to maximize the positives and mask the liabilities?

One can be sure, it's vey much on his mind.

 

[OneTrickPony]

We are in perfect position this season in many ways. First in recruiting. There are positions that will open up based on upcoming graduation. This will attract top recruits. Geno has had many top recruits wanting to come to UConn however some dont fit in and some go elsewhere for many reasons. Thats ok. Geno is looking for a special type player not just any top player. Many coaches are dying to get top players, Geno attracts them.

We have a very strong nucleus this year and 3 AAs in Lou Pheesa and CD. Thats alot of fire power and more importantly experience. We lacked a big in the middle and now we have her in ONO. She needs experience and she will get it this year. This UConn machine runs on defense and this year will be no different. We have speed at the guard positions, we have height on the wings we have great outside shooters to open things up and they can dribble penetrate. Our 3 AAs will lead this team and make it easier for the rest of the team to relax and develop during the season . Our 3 AA's can take a game over. Think about this. We have how many top 5 players and a 4 number 1 players and we have ONO who was ranked number 1 out of HS until she got hurt. Very impressive. So when I hear this years team may not be as good as previous teams remember we have more number 1 HS players then any other team in WCBB. What some of our underclassmen lack is experience and they will get it this season. I expect to see Megan Walker and a few others blossom this season. By the end of the season we will be really really good because we are all ready really good.

ND and Baylor look like our closest competition. They have experienced bigs. ND beat UConn last season because UConn was in foul trouble. ND usually beats UConn because of the foul differential. This season ND has some of their top players coming back from injuries. That makes they better...if those players can stay healthy and we still dont know how much playtime they can handle coming back from injuries especially later in the season.

Baylor lost alot but they still have Brown and Cox. Big strong and powerful. It will be interesting to see how defenses handle them. Every great team needs good guards and we will have to see how Baylor develops.

Geno has spacing this season. Meaning he has players coming in and players graduating. This years freshman class and next years class that havent verballed yet, imo is a positive because like the past few seasons they make our fans sweat it out, are in perfect position to come in and take over. I like Boston and DeBarry coming up. I like the guards because Crystal will be graduating after next season opening up a guard position.

We are ranked 3rd in the preseason polls. That takes alot of pressure off the underclassman trying to live up to a number 1 ranking. Having to face UConn still sits in the back of opposing teams minds. I really like our chances alot this season. I think we are better then advertised. I think we will see that especially later in the season as we develop. When the season is over the only thing that matters is another banner hanging from the rafters.

I am looking forward to this season like no other...

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

I didn't say Walker was...but certainly Collier is and quite frankly that isn't even close. Looks at accolaids, stats, draft projections, USA team selections etc.. Word coming out of USA camp was that Collier was leaps and bounds better than the other college players. Shepard certainly has the advantage over MW, especially in the post. Shepard is good but you're talking about a POY candidate in Collier.

bballfan23-- --Right on! IMHO there is no comparison between Pheesa and Shepard! If, and it's a BIG if, Shepard makes a WNBA team she'll be coming off the bench!
She's slow and her game is limited! Collier was the last cut of the USA WC team and I've heard it was a close vote to keep her on the team! Collier can carry herself well at either a 3, 4, or 5.

 

[Orangutan]

She's slow and her game is limited!

Shepard's game is limited?

Above-average passer for a post, low-post scorer, jump shot with range to the arc, excellent rebounder, solid low-post defender (see NC game against McCowan). About the only thing you can ask from a post that she doesn't do is block shots.

 

[TitleTown]

Shepard's game is limited?

Above-average passer for a post, low-post scorer, jump shot with range to the arc, excellent rebounder, solid low-post defender (see NC game against McCowan). About the only thing you can ask from a post that she doesn't do is block shots.

She is a good college player, but lacks the size, speed, and athleticism needed to be a solid WNBA player!

 

[Bama fan]

bballfan23-- --Right on! IMHO there is no comparison between Pheesa and Shepard! If, and it's a BIG if, Shepard makes a WNBA team she'll be coming off the bench!
She's slow and her game is limited! Collier was the last cut of the USA WC team and I've heard it was a close vote to keep her on the team! Collier can carry herself well at either a 3, 4, or 5.

Right on! I haven't heard that in years. That dates us both, my friend.

 

[pacific 44]

And next year Uconn gets #1 and #3. What a streak.