Lookout here comes tomorrow

[Tonyc]

Well we've come along way since Paige went down. We have learned to play without having to depend on her, but instead depend on ourselves. It was nice to have Caroline step up and be our go to player when we needed her. Then she went down and Azzi showed up. Its nice to have Azzi there when we need her. We've grown alot over the past few months with so many players out of the lineup and then back in the lineup. When we see how good we are without Paige Caroline and Liv, now we can only dream and imagine how much better we will be when they get back. With that said its gonna take time again to rebuild our team chemistry and continuity. However this time we will build it with players who have already been there.

An ole friend of mine CFerraro posted a few times this season that UConn could score over 100 pts a game. When you look at the improvement of the players on the floor the past few games especially Dorka and Azzi and everybody else playing as a team and think we have 45-50 pts sitting on the bench you can see what the future could be with a healthy Paige Caroline and Liv. You know what? We may not have alot of rebounds when they come back because there may not be alot of missed shots. We can also dream about scoring in bunches in a short amount of time.

We will be able to out talent alot of teams when we get healthy. We will still need our defense to step up and our offense will be so good that it will be almost silly with what they can do. You saw in our wins the past few games what we can do with 3 key players on the bench. Just think about what we will do to teams when they get back. I have confidence in Geno sitting them. Its given everybody else a chance to get playtime and be developed and they have. These next 5 days off will help alot to get Paige Caroline and Liv ready and rebuild the chemistry and continuity we need to play as a team going into the tournament. The best part is no matter who starts we are a deep experienced and for the most part a young team. These injuries may have been tuff but they have given everybody else a chance only making the team better and making the team better for it. We will have balance and depth at every position.

All of a sudden we have a much improved Dorka to play with Liv and a improved Edwards working on getting better. Thats 3 bigs who can play together and sub for each other. We have experience in Christyn and Evina and we have 3 of the best shooters and scorers in WCBB working their way back. We are going to be a very tuff out. My expectations are we are going to be shooting 50% or better from the floor and outside the line. Its gonna open up the entire floor. There are a lot of teams out there with really good defenses but I cant see them defending what we're gonna bring.

IF this holds true and we come back healthy, this might be Geno's finest year ever. To go through what he has gone through and to go to the NC and win it....well there's not much more you can say. He will be the Coach of the Year and this season will go down in the record books as one of the all time greatest teams, greatest comeback seasons and greatest coaching jobs ever in the history of the game. So as the games and weeks pass, we are getting better and our injured players will be slowly returning. We will be a team that will be on their way back, rebuilt and much better and when that happens....Lookout for Tomorrow.

 

[CL82]

 

[veryolddog]

I like your optimism. Especially the part where members of this team learned how to play without Paige and still win games without folding in the 4th quarter. With the addition of the injured players, this UConn team will begin to be a real challenger for the National title.

 

[JordyG]

Well we've come along way since Paige went down. We have learned to play without having to depend on her, but instead depend on ourselves. It was nice to have Caroline step up and be our go to player when we needed her. Then she went down and Azzi showed up. Its nice to have Azzi there when we need her. We've grown alot over the past few months with so many players out of the lineup and then back in the lineup. When we see how good we are without Paige Caroline and Liv, now we can only dream and imagine how much better we will be when they get back. With that said its gonna take time again to rebuild our team chemistry and continuity. However this time we will build it with players who have already been there.

An ole friend of mine CFerraro posted a few times this season that UConn could score over 100 pts a game. When you look at the improvement of the players on the floor the past few games especially Dorka and Azzi and everybody else playing as a team and think we have 45-50 pts sitting on the bench you can see what the future could be with a healthy Paige Caroline and Liv. You know what? We may not have alot of rebounds when they come back because there may not be alot of missed shots. We can also dream about scoring in bunches in a short amount of time.

We will be able to out talent alot of teams when we get healthy. We will still need our defense to step up and our offense will be so good that it will be almost silly with what they can do. You saw in our wins the past few games what we can do with 3 key players on the bench. Just think about what we will do to teams when they get back. I have confidence in Geno sitting them. Its given everybody else a chance to get playtime and be developed and they have. These next 5 days off will help alot to get Paige Caroline and Liv ready and rebuild the chemistry and continuity we need to play as a team going into the tournament. The best part is no matter who starts we are a deep experienced and for the most part a young team. These injuries may have been tuff but they have given everybody else a chance only making the team better and making the team better for it. We will have balance and depth at every position.

All of a sudden we have a much improved Dorka to play with Liv and a improved Edwards working on getting better. Thats 3 bigs who can play together and sub for each other. We have experience in Christyn and Evina and we have 3 of the best shooters and scorers in WCBB working their way back. We are going to be a very tuff out. My expectations are we are going to be shooting 50% or better from the floor and outside the line. Its gonna open up the entire floor. There are a lot of teams out there with really good defenses but I cant see them defending what we're gonna bring.

IF this holds true and we come back healthy, this might be Geno's finest year ever. To go through what he has gone through and to go to the NC and win it....well there's not much more you can say. He will be the Coach of the Year and this season will go down in the record books as one of the all time greatest teams, greatest comeback seasons and greatest coaching jobs ever in the history of the game. So as the games and weeks pass, we are getting better and our injured players will be slowly returning. We will be a team that will be on their way back, rebuilt and much better and when that happens....Lookout for Tomorrow.

The old @Tonyc is back, you naysayers.

 

[Skeets]

The old @Tonyc is back, you naysayers.

For a very short time I was worried about him.

 

[JellyBean]

Well said, @Tonyc. Well said.

 

[JordyG]

For a very short time I was worried about him.

Even the staunchest of us can misstep. Ain't gonna break his stride though.

 

[msf22b]

Tony as you know, I always "mostly agree with you."
I am really, really enthusiastic about the 4th quarter rally...vintage UConn.
and the development of the team and the youngster's play
But:
Marquette is a decent team but is not Stanford or South Carolina.
But reinforcements are coming.
At the very least, they are going to make life uneasy
for the rest of the country..., very uneasy.
With lots of sleepless nights for coaches and their staffs.

 

[HuskyNan]

Tony as you know, I always "mostly agree with you."
I am really, really enthusiastic about the 4th quarter rally...vintage UConn.
and the development of the team and the youngster's play
But:
Marquette is a decent team but is not Stanford or South Carolina.
But reinforcements are coming.
At the very least, they are going to make life uneasy
for the rest of the country..., very uneasy.
With lots of sleepless nights for coaches and their staffs.

UConn has played 5 games in 13 days, 3 of them on the road, with only 6 players. Two of them, Dorka and Azzi, are just back from injury time outs. The physical fatigue is one thing, but the mental fatigue must be draining. The coaching staff does not let the schedule interfere with schoolwork either, and an academic supervisor travels with the team to keep them from falling behind in their schoolwork. I’m tired just thinking about it

 

[Monte]

Right now, at this point in time, following this team is more exciting than if they were undefeated!

 

[msf22b]

UConn has played 5 games in 13 days, 3 of them on the road, with only 6 players. Two of them, Dorka and Azzi, are just back from injury time outs.

It's my impression that Azzi played the whole game (or most of it).
I was thinking during her last 4h quarter burst and today, that tired legs
do not seem to apply...or if so, do not effect her shooting

I meant to mention it then, confirmed today...Not in any way to
disagree with your accurate observation...

Makes her and Dorka's heroics, that much more impressive...and only a frosh.

 

[BBallF]

One of the most important benefits of the injuries, sickness, etc. has been the forced emergence of Caroline and Azzi. They are not freshmen anymore. They have had to take the team on their shoulders at times and win games for the team. That does something to you as a player. It's maturing, it instills confidence and they are only just beginning. Azzi showed moves tonight around the basket we never saw before. They are not new to her, just to us. Caroline was unreal before her injury and has every shot and has proven herself to be a stone cold killer. My point is that we have two veterans in experience but not in age who can win a game for you and who have now undergone trial by fire. It would not have happened this way without all the adversity that has come the team's way. It will be very interesting to see how this plays itself out this year.

 

[MilfordHusky]

The very astute Doug Bruno says UConn could be a special team in March. I hope they are special in April too!!

 

[blkkirk]

I am very impressed with Doug Bruno. He is a classy guy. His press conferences, even in defeat, are truly worth a close listen. A great man in my opinion.

 

[Next 12]

Well we've come along way since Paige went down. We have learned to play without having to depend on her, but instead depend on ourselves. It was nice to have Caroline step up and be our go to player when we needed her. Then she went down and Azzi showed up. Its nice to have Azzi there when we need her. We've grown alot over the past few months with so many players out of the lineup and then back in the lineup. When we see how good we are without Paige Caroline and Liv, now we can only dream and imagine how much better we will be when they get back. With that said its gonna take time again to rebuild our team chemistry and continuity. However this time we will build it with players who have already been there.

An ole friend of mine CFerraro posted a few times this season that UConn could score over 100 pts a game. When you look at the improvement of the players on the floor the past few games especially Dorka and Azzi and everybody else playing as a team and think we have 45-50 pts sitting on the bench you can see what the future could be with a healthy Paige Caroline and Liv. You know what? We may not have alot of rebounds when they come back because there may not be alot of missed shots. We can also dream about scoring in bunches in a short amount of time.

We will be able to out talent alot of teams when we get healthy. We will still need our defense to step up and our offense will be so good that it will be almost silly with what they can do. You saw in our wins the past few games what we can do with 3 key players on the bench. Just think about what we will do to teams when they get back. I have confidence in Geno sitting them. Its given everybody else a chance to get playtime and be developed and they have. These next 5 days off will help alot to get Paige Caroline and Liv ready and rebuild the chemistry and continuity we need to play as a team going into the tournament. The best part is no matter who starts we are a deep experienced and for the most part a young team. These injuries may have been tuff but they have given everybody else a chance only making the team better and making the team better for it. We will have balance and depth at every position.

All of a sudden we have a much improved Dorka to play with Liv and a improved Edwards working on getting better. Thats 3 bigs who can play together and sub for each other. We have experience in Christyn and Evina and we have 3 of the best shooters and scorers in WCBB working their way back. We are going to be a very tuff out. My expectations are we are going to be shooting 50% or better from the floor and outside the line. Its gonna open up the entire floor. There are a lot of teams out there with really good defenses but I cant see them defending what we're gonna bring.

IF this holds true and we come back healthy, this might be Geno's finest year ever. To go through what he has gone through and to go to the NC and win it....well there's not much more you can say. He will be the Coach of the Year and this season will go down in the record books as one of the all time greatest teams, greatest comeback seasons and greatest coaching jobs ever in the history of the game. So as the games and weeks pass, we are getting better and our injured players will be slowly returning. We will be a team that will be on their way back, rebuilt and much better and when that happens....Lookout for Tomorrow.

I would like to know if or how many of the elite Women's teams that have had an equal amount of injuries or loss of services that UCONN has had. Does anyone know?

 

[cferraro04]

I wonder if you have everyone healthy and Azzi is hitting close to 50 percent from three...does it get contagious and does Paige's percentage go up when she isn't having to create and shoulder the team? Does Caroline's percentage go up when she isn't being counted on to carry the team? With people hitting threes doesn't that open things up in the middle for the bigs? Doesn't the ball go inside and outside faster with more players getting open shots as the defense is spread out?

UConn when they are at full strength is not a team where one player has to shoulder the rest of the team. They can hurt you from every position, inside, outside, slashing, penetrating and dishing to open shooters...all of that becomes more effective when everyone is healthy.

 

[Alydar]

I wonder if you have everyone healthy and Azzi is hitting close to 50 percent from three...does it get contagious and does Paige's percentage go up when she isn't having to create and shoulder the team? Does Caroline's percentage go up when she isn't being counted on to carry the team? With people hitting threes doesn't that open things up in the middle for the bigs? Doesn't the ball go inside and outside faster with more players getting open shots as the defense is spread out?

UConn when they are at full strength is not a team where one player has to shoulder the rest of the team. They can hurt you from every position, inside, outside, slashing, penetrating and dishing to open shooters...all of that becomes more effective when everyone is healthy.

We saw last year that if defenses double or even triple Bueckers she has a knack of finding open teammates. Since Fudd started her 1st game every opponent has made covering Fudd a priority. That's quite a tribute for an untested freshman. Defenses will have to give somewhere.

 

[Cuango]

Was agreeing til you got to the,”doesn’t matter how many good scorers they have” part! Sure, defense is the main part, but you are simply fooling yourself if you don’t think having good scorers won’t make a championship more likely.

 

[Alydar]

Was agreeing til you got to the,”doesn’t matter how many good scorers they have” part! Sure, defense is the main part, but you are simply fooling yourself if you don’t think having good scorers won’t make a championship more likely.

+1

You need players that can score against great defenses, because that's what you see starting with the E8. Your own defense has to be great too but getting into a halfcourt game with SCar isn't UConn's best look unless you have three outstanding shooters/scorers (and passers) that can defeat any defense.