Next Year's Roster | Page 7 | The Boneyard

Next Year's Roster

amishboy said:
Fair enough, although if you reread my posts, I never said she wouldn’t be starting.
I merely said that her accomplishments thus far did not support her being regarded as an elite player, and, barring significant improvement, she might be replaced as a starter by others.
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Well if you go by that standard "elite player" then Paige is the only guaranteed starter for UCONN next year.
 
Aaliyah will start. It's not that Nika can't shoot, it's that she hesitates to shoot. Playing four on five is a significant disadvantage. Aaliyah, Paige, Christyn, Azzi, and Evina. Olivia needs to improve around the basket. Aubrey needs to improve her two-point shooting, and Mir just needs to improve. Piath could be a wild card if she improves before next year. There's also Saylor, Amari, and Caroline who will get their minutes. They're too good not to. It will be a loaded team with lots of competition.
 
chrissaran said:
Aaliyah will start. It's not that Nika can't shoot, it's that she hesitates to shoot. Playing four on five is a significant disadvantage. Aaliyah, Paige, Christyn, Azzi, and Evina. Olivia needs to improve around the basket. Aubrey needs to improve her two-point shooting, and Mir just needs to improve. Piath could be a wild card if she improves before next year. There's also Saylor, Amari, and Caroline who will get their minutes. They're too good not to. It will be a loaded team with lots of competition.
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So Geno is going to leave the returning BE Co-Defensive Player of the Year, and a Senior, out of the starting lineup. Don't see that happening.
 
Conndog said:
Paige, Williams, Aaliyah, Liv, and then another guard (Azzi, Nika, Ducharme). Nika is okay, but she doesn't give enough to start- weakest offensive player of the group, not quick enough on defense for the elite guards UConn of the the top teams (that is my opinion anyway). Maybe Geno will swap this 5th spot between the three. I'd also love to see one of the other bigs in the game for Liv for 5-10 minutes a time, just to give them experience, and we might find more offense with them too once they get their feet wet.
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Aren't you forgetting someone named Evina?
 
Say what you want about the relative merits of players but consider also this: it is uncommon for Geno to un start a starter. And it is very rare for it to happen to an upperclassman.

Geno adjusts minutes not so much starters.
 
ConnMotors said:
Didn't Bria Hartley loose her starting job later on in her career?
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I believe she had a little injury to start her junior year. Caroline Doty, who herself had injuries in the past, started that season (2012-13), but Bria played the majority of minutes.
 
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bbfanLA said:
I believe she had a little injury to start her junior year. Caroline Doty, who herself had injuries in the past, started that season (2012-13), but Bria played the majority of minutes.
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When she came back out of respect to Doty she asked to continue off the bench. C was loose and that way after warming up her leg didn't get stiff from sitting to start the game.
 
Next year's roster will be loaded with very good options at all positions on the floor. How to best use various combinations of those players to the most success will be a challenge the coaching staff will much rather have than the alternative. This past year we could have used another consistent, outside shooter - that has been addressed at least twofold. There should be very good situational lineup options available next season to go against small, quick opponents and big inside dominate ones. Geno's teams, historically, have featured more finesse than brute force offenses - great passing and ball movement finding open shooters rather than pounding it inside. With Azzi and Caroline (not sleeping on Saylor) being added to the mix, I don't see as strong of a need for three point shooting contributions from Evina, Nika or Christyn.

My hope is that the coaching staff will find ways to expand the number of players regularly used this season up from the 6-7 to 8-10 next season. There will be a great diversity of strengths throughout the roster and with expected jumps over the summer in the games of returning players , there should be an increase in overlapping skillsets. Unlike what some have suggested, I don't think either Olivia or Nika will be odd woman out. Both will continue to provide the defensive contributions they did this season and each's passing skills will enhance the fast paced, constant ball movement style of offense which has been UCONN's trademark. Don't know who will start but expect to be an increased number of players getting a more even spread of minutes. We are lucky to be fans!
 
I don’t believe anyone new will start. Minutes will be spread out. CW will not lose her position to anyone EVER! The second half of this season things started to click for her and for me, she finally lived up to her number 1 ranking coming out of high school. She will be completely consistent and an all American next year in our undefeated National Championship season.
 
Centerstream said:
So Geno is going to leave the returning BE Co-Defensive Player of the Year, and a Senior, out of the starting lineup. Don't see that happening.
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Agree, but I understand the argument to the contrary given Olivia‘s tendency not to show up for big games.

Truth be told, I have a lot of trouble settling on a starting five right now. I expect the same would be true for Auriemma. For example, I think his preference probably would be to bring Azzi off the bench, but her talent and play in the fall may demand a starting spot.
 
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CL82 said:
Agree, but I understand the argument contrary given Olivia‘s tendency not to show up for big games.

Truth be told, I have a lot of trouble settling on a starting five right now. I expect the same would be true for Auriemma. For example, I think his preference probably would be to bring Azzi off the bench, but her talent and play in the fall may demand a starting spot.
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You and I know she technically should start but like you said, Geno likes scoring off of the bench, and I agree. The only problem with the guard rotation would be if Caroline is a guard, then things get crowded. If she’s a three, then that small forward spot gets crowded with her, Mir and Aubrey and also Saylor. Aubrey will find minutes anywhere because of her defensive flexibility and so would Mir, but she’s so much like Aubrey she may find it hard to get minutes. Also Saylor although new, I didn’t see much that would lead me to say she will be in the rotation. I think Saylor, Piath, Mir and Deberry if we get the Ohio State transfer don’t play as much as the other girls. I think Fudd and Ducharme contribute right away.
 
CL82 said:
Agree, but I understand the argument contrary given Olivia‘s tendency not to show up for big games.

Truth be told, I have a lot of trouble settling on a starting five right now. I expect the same would be true for Auriemma. For example, I think his preference probably would be to bring Azzi off the bench, but her talent and play in the fall may demand a starting spot.
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True because Geno said that when they first started planning for this season, Paige was going to start the season coming off the bench. Then practices started and he knew that he had to start her. So the same could happen with Azzi, especially since Anna has transferred, but I am guessing that Azzi will still come off the bench because he will have the same starters next year that he ended this season with: Nika, Paige, Evina, Christyn and Liv.
I only mention Anna because at the start of last season, Anna was a starter.
 
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uconnever said:
You and I know she technically should start but like you said, Geno likes scoring off of the bench, and I agree. The only problem with the guard rotation would be if Caroline is a guard, then things get crowded. If she’s a three, then that small forward spot gets crowded with her, Mir and Aubrey and also Saylor. Aubrey will find minutes anywhere because of her defensive flexibility and so would Mir, but she’s so much like Aubrey she may find it hard to get minutes. Also Saylor although new, I didn’t see much that would lead me to say she will be in the rotation. I think Saylor, Piath, Mir and Deberry if we get the Ohio State transfer don’t play as much as the other girls. I think Fudd and Ducharme contribute right away.
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Sorry if the answer to my question is buried in another thread, but who is the OSU transfer you refer to?
 
With much of the discussion being Geno won't bench a returning starter, let me make a point and raise a question. First he benched a starter this year. Anna was a starter and was injured, but clearly by the time she came back she had lost her starting position and was demoted to number 8 in the rotation.

I'm not sure it didn't happen a second time, because I don't think we really know who the returning fifth starter is! Is it Nika or Aaliyah? You could make the case Nika just lost it because of injury, and she is the incumbent. Or perhaps because Aaliyah played well down the stretch (except for last game) and Geno said she was complimenting Liv so well, she may have taken that spot away from Nika. We will probably never know because Nika wasn't fully healthy, but if she had been, who would have been the 5th starter? If it would have been Aaliyah, then two incumbent starters would have been replaced this year.
 
oldhuskie said:
With much of the discussion being Geno won't bench a returning starter, let me make a point and raise a question. First he benched a starter this year. Anna was a starter and was injured, but clearly by the time she came back she had lost her starting position and was demoted to number 8 in the rotation.

I'm not sure it didn't happen a second time, because I don't think we really know who the returning fifth starter is! Is it Nika or Aaliyah? You could make the case Nika just lost it because of injury, and she is the incumbent. Or perhaps because Aaliyah played well down the stretch (except for last game) and Geno said she was complimenting Liv so well, she may have taken that spot away from Nika. We will probably never know because Nika wasn't fully healthy, but if she had been, who would have been the 5th starter? If it would have been Aaliyah, then two incumbent starters would have been replaced this year.
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It is probably a moot point but Anna first lost her starting spot to Aaliyah Edwards not Nika. After starting the first 6 games of the season Anna was replaced in the starting lineup by AE. This was not due to injury because Anna played 36 minutes in the Providence game compared to only 16 for AE. Aubrey Griffin would start the next two games before being replaced in the starting line up by Nika for the Georgetown game. I don’t know who the starters will be next year & and IMO only one player has played consistently well all year to deserve to be a returning guaranteed starter. I’m also very aware that Geno favors upperclassmen as starters as has been pointed out by @HuskyNan. There will be 3 senior starters returning- just don’t see any of the three being replaced as starters although reduced minutes is a distinct possibility for all three seniors. That only leaves 1 starting spot to contend for and there will be plenty of contenders. My bet would be on Aaliyah to be the 5th starter.
 
Next year I have a feeling that Christyn, Olivia, Paige, Evina are locks. I would think Geno would go with Nika as the fifth unless he wants to go big and might switch in Aaliyah now that we have Amari to come in..... Of course Geno might start Azzi like he did Paige... and have her be the fifth...
The way I see it... no matter who... we should have a lethal starting line up next year... and the players off the bench potentially being Aubrey, Nika/Azzi/Aaliyah, Caroline, Amari.... Our second string would be a starting line up elsewhere...

Now try to predict the 2022-23 starting line up when we have three seniors gone... that will be interesting
 
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CocoHusky said:
It is probably a moot point but Anna first lost her starting spot to Aaliyah Edwards not Nika. After starting the first 6 games of the season Anna was replaced in the starting lineup by AE. This was not due to injury because Anna played 36 minutes in the Providence game compared to only 16 for AE. Aubrey Griffin would start the next two games before being replaced in the starting line up by Nika for the Georgetown game. I don’t know who the starters will be next year & and IMO only one player has played consistently well all year to deserve to be a returning guaranteed starter. I’m also very aware that Geno favors upperclassmen as starters as has been pointed out by @HuskyNan. There will be 3 senior starters returning- just don’t see any of the three being replaced as starters although reduced minutes is a distinct possibility for all three seniors. That only leaves 1 starting spot to contend for and there will be plenty of contenders. My bet would be on Aaliyah to be the 5th starter.
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Agree. Was originally leaning towards Nika as the 5th starter but now I'm leaning more towards Aaliyah. Think the deciding factor for me is that a lineup of Paige, Williams, Evina, Edwards, and ONO can match up well with any team in the country and having Westbrook have to play the 4 position is not ideal against bigger front courts. Geno opted to started Nika over Edwards this year, which I think there were a few reasons for. If he started Edwards, he had no offense off the bench this year. This year he will have a lot more options to be able to bring offense off the bench, headlined by Azzi. Secondly, both Aaliyah and ONO are somewhat foul prone so you ran a risk of both getting into foul trouble by starting both, and we had no depth in the front court. Still true to an extent this year but we will have a Deberry and a more developed Piath.
 
Regarding the 2021-22 starting lineup, one thing is certain: Geno himself has no idea now what it will be. It will be decided by what he sees in the practices that begin in October. High school resumes or accolades will have no bearing, and for returners, 2020-21 performance will have only a minimal relevance. Everything will come down to what the players show in practice next fall.
 
JoePgh said:
Regarding the 2021-22 starting lineup, one thing is certain: Geno himself has no idea now what it will be. It will be decided by what he sees in the practices that begin in October. High school resumes or accolades will have no bearing, and for returners, 2020-21 performance will have only a minimal relevance. Everything will come down to what the players show in practice next fall.
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I betting the player who swept most of the 2020-2021 POY awards is going to start for UCONN next season-I'm told she's pretty decent. I also would not be surprised to see UCONN starting a freshman this year because UCONN has started a freshman in 5 of the last 7 season (Kia Nurse, KLS, Christyn, Ann, & Paige).
 
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JoePgh said:
Regarding the 2021-22 starting lineup, one thing is certain: Geno himself has no idea now what it will be. It will be decided by what he sees in the practices that begin in October. High school resumes or accolades will have no bearing, and for returners, 2020-21 performance will have only a minimal relevance. Everything will come down to what the players show in practice next fall.
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Exactly, which is why I said in my first post that Christyn Williams and Olivia Nelson-Odondo need to improve to be assured of starting next year!
 
I would actually like us to stop thinking about this as the 5 people who are on the floor at tip off.

I'd like us to start thinking of it as the people who average 20 or more minutes a game. Those folks should be considered "starters" when you have a strong team.

I think the team's success will be defined on whether we can get 7-8 folks in that category. I think it is totally possible with the talent on the team.

That allows a team from game to game to go with the hot hand, bench someone when they have a bad night (all humans have them), construct a favorable line up to the opponent, and absorb injuries.
 
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CocoHusky said:
I betting the player who swept most of the 2020-2021 POY awards is going to start for UCONN next season-I'm told she's pretty decent. I also would not be surprised to see UCONN starting a freshman this year because UCONN has started a freshman in 5 of the last 7 season (Kia Nurse, KLS, Christyn, Ann, & Paige).
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I believe that the only freshman on the list that you gave that started from day one is Paige. All the others started after the opening of the season.
 
MSGRET said:
I believe that the only freshman on the list that you gave that started from day one is Paige. All the others started after the opening of the season.
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Christyn Williams and Paige were game one starters. Kia was a starter in game 3. Anna was a starter in game 2. KLS was the latest to start in game 10 of the season.
 
If next year's starting five is the same we had at the end of the season (Liv is the big question mark), the first five subs could be a real "shock squad" of super talented players:

P: Dorka (hopefully healthy and showing the talent level of her FR year at OSU)
PF: Aubrey
SF: Caroline
SG: Azzi
PG: Nika

Yikes!
 
MdStang said:
If next year's starting five is the same we had at the end of the season (Liv is the big question mark), the first five subs could be a real "shock squad" of super talented players:

P: Dorka (hopefully healthy and showing the talent level of her FR year at OSU)
PF: Aubrey
SF: Caroline
SG: Azzi
PG: Nika

Yikes!
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And lets not forget that would make this the third unit, 11-15.

C: Piath
PF: Amari
SF: Mir
SG: Saylor
PG: Autumn (and clipboard assistant/coach)
 
Paige, Cw, Azzi, AE, Evina are locks. Dorka replaces Liv, at least in minutes, with Amari eating away at Liv’s minutes by March. Nika and Caroline spell Evina, CW and other guards to lesser extent. Only Paige, Azzi and Cw average 35 minutes. Or Geno learns in his dotage and prepares a ten-eleven deep team of regulars, entering game early and often.
 
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