Depends on what the competition brings to the table. Most of this year’s contenders lost key pieces and in NDs case. maybe every piece. We should fall off some, but almost every year that it looks like that, somehow we are a tough out. The front court will be key. Need a few other kids, a big grad transfer with some skill woukd do.
I jokingly made a comment about ND making a pact with the Devil on another post, but it does seem like ND has been getting more than their share of calls the last few years. Stats do not always tell the same story that the eye test does.
A healthy Batouly will go a long way toward that. I really think that, if she were healthy, she would have made a difference against ND
Sadly, the game is turning to bigs. ONO can help at 6'4" but her skinny 6'4" doesn't compare with muscular Lauren Cox's who is a beast. If you don't have biggies you need to stock up on three pointers. Oregon nearly did it with threes. ND's biggies couldn't compete with Baylor's bigger, stronger biggies and the game might have turned into a rout had Cox not been injured.
Geno has a system and he sticks with it. You earn minutes on the court by what you show in practice. In fairness, Geno gave a decent amount of time on court to the bench players, but no one ever excelled. No one showed him that they could be a reliable court presence in a big game. Mikayla must have showed the most talent, but it was exclusively on defense. And she made a number of poor decisions, resulting in loss of possession. So what he learned, after all, was that the bench was not good enough to help. Next year, as of this moment, there is no bench at all. Molly, Batouly and Kyla are what they are.....average players at the AAC level. They could play for Cincinnati, Memphis or East Carolina. And still not win often. Mikalyla may have more native BB skills. But she is not a factor on offense, and ( practically speaking ) almost doesn't require covering. If that doesn't change, she is just a faster Molly and less of an offensive threat. Not good enough to matter. I assure that Geno will soon be off to Latvia or Croatia to find some international talent. Otherwise, next year's team will be fortunate to make it to the round of 16.
Agree with most except possibly the AAC streak. While the overall league is crawling upward, I don't have much faith in any one team's ability to do really well against UConn. Maybe CFU, depending on how they recruited and who's still on the team.
Wondering why Danger tailed off at end of the year. One great game with several OK ones in playoffs. Injured, tired, or whatever, we need her playing with full skills next year.
Its been rare for some time for a team to win NCAA's without a banger (or more likely two). ONO could turn out great but her body type unlikely to ever fill out to the point where she could compete with the Cox's or Brown's of the world.
I believe that UCF loses most or all of their starters. Kay Kay Wright, easily their best player, is a senior.
This is not fully accurate. Wright is only a junior, and next year's team will once again rely heavily on her. UCF does lose several from their supporting cast, most notably Thigpen, McDonald, Paul and Shuler (that's 4 of their top 6 scorers). But also return 4 players who averaged double digit minutes, including post players Kaba and Smith.
Tend to agree, UConn may not be the best team next year but surely they will be top 10, probably top 4. ONO is the key, if she can become stronger physically then UConn has a chance to be really good. I may bleed Maroon and White but there is a part of me that loves BLUE
The AAC team who really had bad breaks last season was USF. If those athletes return, and are healthy, they will be a fine team. Central Florida is on the rise, as well.
The problem is, Dangerfield can only get a rest when the game is one-sided and into the 4th quarter. And she had Katy to help distribute the ball; and the best hands of any player I have ever seen in Pheesa. So even marginal passes were converted. Now, Williams and Walker have to step up. And, per usual, we have been extraordinarily lucky with injuries. Take a starter out for any length of time, and we just start sliding.
I think I know fatigue pretty well. I wake up fatigued. And it doesn’t get much better, even after 2 cups of coffee. Also not 18-21. Geno thinks they can, and I usually agree with him.
Cox was the single player we didn’t get that really mattered. We’d have 7 NCs in a row if she was here.
CW has a good chance to be an AA, just won't happen in her sophomore year.
Back in the day it seems to me Geno gave bench role players a lot more time. They came in for a boost of energy or play and the starters got a break. I think the real break from this came in the Stewie era.
Imagine if Elena DD stayed we’d have so many more championships. But these are all ifs
OMG I SOOOO wish UConn was playing Oregon State next year!
