Reply to thread

Message: [QUOTE="NycUcWbbFan, post: 4986433, member: 13453"] “What I think” or rather “What I think Geno would do” #, as he has formed many different championship teams including nearly-there championship teams: Your questions require we play fantasy UConn Geno teams in a changed WBB landscape of increased player athleticism and skills (player parity), increased coaching parity (emulating Geno and others), and super-team formation parity (transfer portal). Question 1: Raegan Beers effect. Rebecca Lobo has compared Raegan to Stef Dolson in the UConn offense/defense. I would amplify that Raegan is potentially peak “Huskies of Honor” Stef for two years. UConn’s 2024 team, even without Raegan, is comparable to the 1998 (pre-Sue injury running game) and 1999 (with KJ) UConn teams that won the 2000 national championship over athletic Tennessee. They did lose to Tennessee mid-season. The 2024 UConn teams distribution of wins/losses and margins can be gleaned from the 1998/1999 performance adjusted for parity. (See Thought Experiment 1). Adding 20 minutes of peak Raegan (see Thought Experiment 2) would be overlaying aspects of the 2012 / 2013 Stewie championship teams, one of which was undefeated. Adding Raegan would make 2024 UConn more formidable especially against higher-echelon teams. Adding Raegan is not zero-sum with respect to other (post) players. Raegan will increase the quality, efficiency and breadth of rigorously practiced (post) play for all UConn’s (post) players. This will translate to games which Geno considers extended practice. Raegan can participate in spurts in a running offense as Stef did (especially with outlet-pass initiated possessions) or as a trailing 3-pt maker. BoneDog’s post expounds on the use of Raegan in a pressing defense. Question 2: 25+ pt lead vs about 70% of the opponents As a guide, see Thought Experiment 1 (1998/1999 results) adjusted for parity and 2024 Geno (with his more extensive playbooks) vs 1999 Geno. 2024 Geno may direct more types/pace of offense/defense within games even during the competitive minutes of games that are not necessarily the quickest way to run up the score with an eye towards the NCAA tournament (see 2002 Sue, DT, Swin, Asjha and Tamika team). Question 3: When to pull off the press. See answer to Question 2. Geno has always been mindful of respecting the opposition and not browbeat them beyond the competitive minutes of games. AFAIK, Geno has only broken character once in the infamous Syracuse/Maya game. === Thought Experiment 1: [LIST] [*]1998/1999 team: Sue, KJ, Shea, Svet, Asjha, Swin, Tamika, Amy Duran, Kelly Schumacher, Paige Sauer, Stacey Hansmaye [/LIST] vs (the first 10-11 healthy players from): [LIST] [*]Paige, KK, [Azzi], Sarah, Ice, Jana, Raegan, Ash, [Aubrey], [Yanna] | Q, Morgan, Allie, [[Caroline]] [/LIST] where [] denotes recovering injured, and [[]] denotes indeterminately recovering injured. 1998 record: [URL="https://uconnhuskies.com/sports/womens-basketball/schedule/1998-99"]1998-99 Women's Basketball Schedule - University of Connecticut Athletics[/URL] 1999 record: [URL="https://uconnhuskies.com/sports/womens-basketball/schedule/1999-00"]1999-00 Women's Basketball Schedule - University of Connecticut Athletics[/URL] === Thought Experiment 2 [LIST] [*]20 minutes of peak Raegan time with a lineup of: Paige, Azzi, Sarah, Ice/Jana, Raegan (Big lineup) or Kk, Paige, Azzi, Sarah, Raegan [/LIST] vs (2013-2014) [LIST] [*]Bria, Kaleena, Stewie, Morgan, Stef (Big Lineup) or Moriah, Bria, Kaleena, Stewie, Stef. [/LIST] === # I give great deference to what Geno or his players want, say for example on adding a transfer. It’s their team and I enjoy being a follower. Whatever they decide, I would try to backwardly rationalize their decisions, and come to appreciate their decisions even more. [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach