most underrated player?

[Bonpland]

I think that Ann and BT have been blamed for not winning after the Taurasi era. That happened after Rebecca and after Maya left as well. Like all of us I was disappointed to lose the way we did for the four years after DT"s departure, but I never stopped enjoying watching those two play.

 

[Bretski]

You said it all. "underperformed in big games". IMO, she was a big factor in Maya going out with a loss.

I'm sure it's unfair, but I will always blame her for blowing Maya's threepeat

 

[UcMiami]

Throw out another one - Sales. She was a phenom, and was certainly recognized as such, but ... she won as a freshman and never made it back, and she has faded in peoples memories. We talk of Shea and Sveta, and Lobo, and Wolters, and then occasionally remember Sales.

 

[Waquoit]

Throw out another one - Sales. She was a phenom, and was certainly recognized as such, but ... she won as a freshman and never made it back, and she has faded in peoples memories. We talk of Shea and Sveta, and Lobo, and Wolters, and then occasionally remember Sales.

That's because her teams underperformed while she was the go-to guy. Same with Wolters, she shied from the challenge. They belong in the 2nd tier behind Lobo, Bird, Taurasi, Moore, Charles and Stewart, as well and Shea and Svet.

 

[UcMiami]

That's because her teams underperformed while she was the go-to guy. Same with Wolters, she shied from the challenge. They belong in the 2nd tier behind Lobo, Bird, Taurasi, Moore, Charles and Stewart, as well and Shea and Svet.

That is a wee bit harsh - she ended her year in the hospital and not on the court, and one of your greats failed in the only time she was truly the 'go to' player in her last game. While Lobo had to wait for both Wolters and Sales to join her before she was able to get over the hump.

 

[Wally East]

Nykesha Sales was the second-best player in the country her junior and senior years. She dropped 46 on Stanford her senior year -- still the school's single-game scoring record and one of my favorite all-time performances. It was also a bit of payback for the "We have five Nykesha Sales coming in the fall" comment that Tara VanDerveer made a few seasons earlier.

She is one of my all-time favorite Huskies (and, actually, athletes in general). I love the way she could so easily grab a pass in the passing lane and convert it into a layup. She was a joy to watch. She was smart and funny.

Sales wasn't the go-to player until her senior year and raised her game and was averaging 20.9 ppg until she tore her Achilles. So, she didn't have a chance to achieve or not achieve in the tournament as the go-to player. (Yes, that's right, despite being the second-best player in the country as a junior, she was not the go-to player on the team. If you have a 6'7 center who can score, you obviously make her the center of your offense.) (Which, actually, Kara Wolter is totally underrated. She the national Player of the Year in '97 but few people here, now, give her any credit.)

Sales is a step up as a player from Sveta. Not a big step, necessarily, but a step nonetheless.

 

[baylorprof]

From the past 8 years of watching your teams, Kelly Farris, my favorite baller who had far less talent than most in the rotations.

 

[svetbird]

I have to give a shout out to Mel Thomas as well. Always thought of her as a very Kelly Faris type player. Not getting her a national championship is my greatest regret as a Uconn fan. Hope someday we can get her one as an assistant.

 

[Eggman]

'I've always believed if Geno had confidence in Maria in the ND final 4 game some of those 15 missed 3's by DT may have been taken by Maria and made---'

I don't necesarily think Maria was underrated-I think she was appreciated for what she did. You know, robin, to d's batman. Too many possibilities to answer this question.

But, I had to agree with your assessment of the semi-final with nd. I always thought he could've used Maria in that situation, as you said.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I know it's a bit over-the-top, but I think T-Law and Polly deserve a nod. They work hard in practice and are good team mates. They never quit hustling on the court, and always are there to acknowledge others. If they both quit the game tomorrow, they would be missed.

Nice kids Lawlor and Polly but they got well paid and appreciated by just being on the bench with the UConn starters. Fans all year cheered them as did their teammates. That's appreciation!! How many of us would have settled for much less--like only riding the bus with "the team"..

 

[BroadwayVa]

I have to give a shout out to Mel Thomas as well. Always thought of her as a very Kelly Faris type player. Not getting her a national championship is my greatest regret as a Uconn fan. Hope someday we can get her one as an assistant.

Mel got lots of appreciation until her ACL killed her. Her book got more notoriety than it probably deserved because of the regard fans held for her-and her toughness.

 

[BroadwayVa]

That is a wee bit harsh - she ended her year in the hospital and not on the court, and one of your greats failed in the only time she was truly the 'go to' player in her last game. While Lobo had to wait for both Wolters and Sales to join her before she was able to get over the hump.

Interesting thing about accomplishments---no one ever does it really ALONE!!!

 

[BroadwayVa]

'I've always believed if Geno had confidence in Maria in the ND final 4 game some of those 15 missed 3's by DT may have been taken by Maria and made---'

I don't necesarily think Maria was underrated-I think she was appreciated for what she did. You know, robin, to d's batman. Too many possibilities to answer this question.

But, I had to agree with your assessment of the semi-final with nd. I always thought he could've used Maria in that situation, as you said.

The year after Maria graduated Geno said publicly----I never thought I'd miss Maria Conlon!! (or words to that effect). I do believe the media let Maria get lost in the DT haze--but most Connecticut Native fans appreciated her (or are you and I alone in this??) Even Robin got appreciation.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Throw out another one - Sales. She was a phenom, and was certainly recognized as such, but ... she won as a freshman and never made it back, and she has faded in peoples memories. We talk of Shea and Sveta, and Lobo, and Wolters, and then occasionally remember Sales.

Quiet people, like Sales, tend to get lost in the fog of history even if they excel during their time on stage. She was great and Uconn would not have had the success they had during those years without her--that's a measure of does she deserve appreciation--she does!!

 

[BigBird]

C'mon folks... We are getting dangerously close here to an internecine gong-show pitting one Husky against another. They are all treasured veterans of Geno's / CD's program, and like it's said of military veterans, it's also true here: All gave something, some gave all (they could).