Mid-July way too early preason predictions

[Cuango]

"Self-flagellation" for noting that Canada is part of North America? I think you are looking for offense where none was intended or even anticipated. It's not demeaning to the United States to observe that it's not the only country in North America.

How many times have you heard a Canadian say they were an American?

 

[JonathanXIV]

How many times have you heard a Canadian say they were an American?

My point was to push back on the “self-flagellation” comment. And I stand by it.

 

[Vowelguy]

is self-flagellation when the pole slips through your hands and the flag bonks you on the head?

 

[Carnac]

Some don't think so, but I am 100% positive EW starts. Guaranteed. Now, what happens after the first TV timeout, anyone's guess.

I’m not going THAT far out on that limb, but I will submit that I think E will start. Everyone can’t start. As another poster observed, somebody’s got to come off the bench. Christyn, Evina, Azzi, Paige and Nika cannot all start. I think ONO, Juhasz or Edwards will be starters. Geno said he won’t have to pick the starters, they will pick themselves by their standout play and performance in practice.

 

[Cuango]

My point was to push back on the “self-flagellation” comment. And I stand by it.

As do I!

 

[Happydad745]

The starting line up topic has been beaten to death in other threads. I think Azzi and Edwards start. Two starters have to now sit. I choose Nika and Evina.

Evina is not going to sit....too much experience and leadership, Azzi will not be a starting at the beginning of the season.

 

[Alydar]

Cubans? Haitians? Bermudians? Actually the list of countries in the Western Hemisphere but not in North or South America is far greater than that.

View attachment 68641
(Sorry the list is too long. I couldn’t fit it all in a screen shot.)

If you are going to be sanctimonious, you probably should take a moment to make sure you are right first.

The discussion was about whether only US citizens are the only Americans or whether all North and South Americans are also Americans. I was unaware that The Ivory Coast, and Morocco were entirely in the Western Hemisphere. Did this happen when the pope divided the "uncivilized world between Spain and Portugal? People in Cuba and most of the rest of the Caribbean Islands consider themselves Latin Americans. The major league baseball is filled with Dominicans and other "Latin Americans". Why did we try and usurp the word for ourselves? Canadian and Mexican roll off the tongue. How would you like to refer to yourself as an United Statesian. It is clumsy to say.
If I approached a thousand Cubans and asked whether consider themselves Latin American I think most would say yes despite whatever their government may say.

Just for information anyone born in the western hemisphere* is an American. We in the US like to think it's only us.

* - insert "North and South America"

 

[Alydar]

It's 11 or 12 weeks till the first official practice. All I keep reading is about how focused everyone is and how hard they are working. If that is true then picking the 1st game starters in July is either foolish or else no amount of work from now till November will change things. I believe that the later case applies to Bueckers and Fudd and the former to the rest of the roster. Both exemplify the combination of talent and hard work and IMO are untouchable. However Fudd is a freshman and despite the fact that other freshmen have started, in those cases there was a thin roster. In 2022 there is an abundance of alternatives. I see Fudd following the path of Moore.

 

[CL82]

The discussion was about whether only US citizens are the only Americans or whether all North and South Americans are also Americans. I was unaware that The Ivory Coast, and Morocco were entirely in the Western Hemisphere. Did this happen when the pope divided the "uncivilized world between Spain and Portugal? People in Cuba and most of the rest of the Caribbean Islands consider themselves Latin Americans. The major league baseball is filled with Dominicans and other "Latin Americans". Why did we try and usurp the word for ourselves? Canadian and Mexican roll off the tongue. How would you like to refer to yourself as an United Statesian. It is clumsy to say.
If I approached a thousand Cubans and asked whether consider themselves Latin American I think most would say yes despite whatever their government may say.



* - insert "North and South America"

Wow, that was a lot of words before you got to “oops I guess I was wrong.”

Anyway, back to you new point. If you went up to 1000 Cubans, living in Cuba and ask them if they were Americans do you think even one would say yes? Though I suspect quite a few would say “I’d like to be.”

 

[Alydar]

If the three seniors are working as hard as reported then I would expect them to start along with Bueckers. Then it's a question of who is the 5th? I would say the suspects are Mühl, Edwards and Fudd. There have been years when the 5th starter argument came down to who had the fewest flaws. With this 3 there is no bad choice. They all would start and star elsewhere. It's going to be 7/8 man core with the rest being able to form a top 10-15 team. But players get nicked up and I expect to see more "ABC is sitting to rest her XXX.

I doubt the NCAA allows it but Geno could get 6K fans at say $10-$15 per for a scrimmage in Gampel on a weekend afternoon.

 

[Rudy1927]

everyone said PB wouldn’t start. If Azzi lives up to her hype move over she is in. She isn’t here to sit. Trust me.

 

[Purchase1]

everyone said PB wouldn’t start. If Azzi lives up to her hype move over she is in. She isn’t here to sit. Trust me.

Do you think Maya Moore came to uconn to sit? No! But she had people ahead of her on the depth chart just as Azzi does.

 

[D J B]

I've read through this thread numerous times, and I'm still at a loss as to exactly what a "preason" prediction is. Apparently it's something that has already been discussed to death in numerous threads.

​

 

[BBallF]

everyone said PB wouldn’t start. If Azzi lives up to her hype move over she is in. She isn’t here to sit. Trust me.

Geno is fundamentally a tactician and he has said repeatedly that he likes the way the team runs with Nika. Plus her defense at the point slows down the other offense. I just don't see her not starting after a half year starting on the number 1 ranked team in the country. Azzi can replace any of the 4 starters other than Liv since the remainders on the court all can slide to an alternative position. I also don't see a 7-8 player rotation. He has never had depth like this before and he will be using it. I think you see AE, Azzi, Dorka, Aubrey and either Caroline Ducharme or Saylor. So I guess that's a 9-10 player rotation, at least until the NCAA.

 

[chrissaran]

Pretty simple to me;
Paige / Nika
Azzi / EW
Crystal / Caroline Ducharme
AE / EW or Aubrey
Ono / Ohio

Let the battles begin. Limited Saylor, Mir, Piath, if he goes to only 8 Aubrey and Caroline Ducharme are also added to limited minutes.

Ohio? You couldn't take the time to look up Dorka Juhasz.

 

[Bald Husky]

Nika will start. The point guard sets the tone for the offense. The offensive flow made a great leap forward when she became the PG and Paige moved over to the 2. Adding another scorer, presumably Azzi, will disrupt the flow. Nika has proved that she can get the ball to the right person. She is the driver of the offense, so it wouldn't make sense to replace her. Paige is one of our main scoring option, so lets not put her in a position that she has to think of the others before she can do her thing. Most of you guys are blinded by the nubies, but don't forget who ran the show the second half LY, making the team contenders for the NC. Besides, her grit and defensive talents cannot be overlooked.

 

[meyers7]

Freaking Amerigo Vespucci. Leave it to someone's who been dead 500+ years to screw up this thread.

 

[#12in21]

I don't think PB, CW, EW, and ONO average as many minutes as last season. I think both EW and ONO need to show the most improvement from how they ended last season to remain key pieces in the rotation, I don't think PB, AE and NM (pre high ankle sprain) need to show significantly improvement as to how they ended the season (although I am sure each will do so!) to remain key pieces in the rotation. I think both and DJ are going to be significant players in the mix for minutes. I expect AG and CD and hope MM and SP prove that they need to see meaningful playing time. I am hoping to see a solid 8-10 player rotation given the depth of talent the team will have at all positions. I think this will be one of the most exciting teams we have had in years. Last year they had to create their own energy, in for the most parts empty venues but this season (fingers crossed) they will be playing in front of packed houses. To paraphrase Nika the energy will be "in the roof'.

 

[D J B]

Freaking Amerigo Vespucci. Leave it to someone's who been dead 500+ years to screw up this thread.

I guess we should count ourselves lucky we aren't called Vespuccians.

 

[BBallF]

Nika will start. The point guard sets the tone for the offense. The offensive flow made a great leap forward when she became the PG and Paige moved over to the 2. Adding another scorer, presumably Azzi, will disrupt the flow. Nika has proved that she can get the ball to the right person. She is the driver of the offense, so it wouldn't make sense to replace her. Paige is one of our main scoring option, so lets not put her in a position that she has to think of the others before she can do her thing. Most of you guys are blinded by the nubies, but don't forget who ran the show the second half LY, making the team contenders for the NC. Besides, her grit and defensive talents cannot be overlooked.

I see the same starting 5 as the end of last year. There will be minutes, and a lot of them, when Azzi and Paige are on the court at the same time. It is all true about Nika but Paige is the best passer on the team and probably in the country and Azzi is the best shooter ever in high school. I can see a small 3 guard offense at certain times with the 3 above and either CW or E at the 4. Yes, a very small ball team but man will they be able to move the ball, shoot and run. Or add the small 3 and a big 2 with Dorka and Liv or AE, or let's press and have Aubrey, Mir, Paige,E, Nika, CW, AE, Caroline Ducharme, Azzi and another big or 2 rotating in and out.

I'm actually extremely jealous of how lucky Geno is being able to coach this team. They will be driven, enthusiastic, multi talented, bonded, at times giddy, and a lot to handle but wow what a combination of skills and options. With Paige and Azzi there will be a lot of emphasis by the opposing team in shutting down the 3s which leaves the lane open for CW and E, who I expect will finish regularly this year, to drive. It's always a question of mesh and chemistry but I think that has already happened. The nubies are so happy to be here. Who wouldn't be?

 

[PvP]

This is just silly! I could go anywhere in the world and say I’m an American and not one person would follow up with, “Yes but what country are you from?” Even the dictionary defines American as “a native or citizen of the United States”. No offense intended but the tired self-flagellation for being an inhabitant of the United States thing is definitely wearing thin. I don’t get it but if that’s your thing, go to it. However, saying something you may wish were true certainly does not make it true.


I will be very surprised if Nika starts! Starting her means relegating to the bench at least one of the following; Azzi, widely held to be as good or better than Paige, Evina, a senior, former number two ranked player in the country, by all accounts an extraordinary leader, and who reportedly may be finally healthy, Christyn, a senior who most believe finally found herself last year and who is widely expected to have her best season this year, Aaliyah, who was so impressive last season and who is almost universally expected to be hugely improved after playing in the Tokyo Olympics this offseason, Liv, a senior post who, while she has admittedly underperformed in most (not all) big games, has been a good solid center for Geno since she first came on board and who is reportedly finally working on adding elements to her game that could elevate her to the level we had hoped for these past two years. Every one of these players is probably better overall than Nika. I like Nika, her intensity, drive, great passing ability, and “in your face” attitude is sorely needed on this team! However, I believe she will make her contributions this season as the primary backup for Paige and in relief of one or more of the players I listed. This is not even mentioning Dorka, a versatile 6’5” inside/outside post who once shot the three at around 40% and who averaged a double double at Ohio State, Caroline 6’2”, who beat Azzi in a three point shooting contest and who reportedly was the most improved player during the recent training camp, Saylor 6’2”, who is supposedly healthy for the first time since she joined the team, or Aubrey and Mir, both incredible athletes who can do things no one else on this team is capable of and who could conceivably leapfrog many of the above mentioned players if they are able to add some offense to their game. I realize this was pretty long winded but my point is; this team is incredibly talented! I honestly can’t believe just how talented they really are! I cannot wait for November!!!!

Even Nika knows that she will not be starting. There are just too many more skilled players ahead of her.

 

[The CDR-Ret]

Thems frighten words to a Canuck!

Sorry!! {eh?}

 

[The CDR-Ret]

is self-flagellation when the pole slips through your hands and the flag bonks you on the head?

Very nice!!!

 

[The CDR-Ret]

Ohio? You couldn't take the time to look up Dorka Juhasz.

or DJ....